Marissa Papaconstantinou is one of Canada's most celebrated para atheltes, having appeared on magazine covers and been sponsored by brands such as Nike and On.

The Globe and Mail’s Accessibility Profiles by Graham Isador feature conversations highlighting disabled artists, creators and community leaders.

In 2024, Marissa Papaconstantinou was a co-captain for Team Canada during the Paralympic games. Born with a limb difference, the track athlete uses a running blade – a prosthetic lower limb designed for athletic activity – during competition. Papaconstantinou had competed at the games twice before, winning a bronze medal in 2020. But the experience in Paris felt different.

“I felt really emotional the entire trip, because I was just so floored and amazed at how many people cared about p

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