McKeever Won't Ski For Canada

((HT: GlobeSports/Maki))

Canada's Brian McKeever ((pictured as he was named to the Canada cross-country team, thanks Reuters/Tood Korol)) is one of the most decorated Paralympic athletes in the history of the games. He has won six medals, four of them gold, during the last two Paralympic Games in cross-country skiing.

At the 2007 cross-country world championships, he raced against able-bodied athletes, placed 21st, and was Canada's top finisher.

He suffers Stargardt's disease and is legally blind. He has just 10-percent of his vision, all of it peripheral. Because of his prowess in the sport, regardless of competition, he was named to the Canadian Olympic team with the plan to ski in only one event, the 50-kilometer team event.

He's even been in a credit card ad- explaining his story...
((HT: VISAGoWorld campaign))


But cross-country coaches left him out of the 50-kilometer event Saturday when they named the four-man team. The showing of the four other athletes in the 30-kilometer event gave team coach Inge Braten something to ponder as they all finished top-16:

Braten spoke to the Canadian Press on Friday and said he had to "...choose the guys who are the best for the 50-km. Normally, sorry to say, all four are faster than Brian. And I think they can fight for a medal, all four of them. And then I have to pick out one who has a medal chance and put in Brian? That's the situation. I don't like it."

Here's what you're missing...
It's a McKeever profile, thanks to our friends at ParalympicSportTV


Now you know what everyone's missing...