A young paralympian from Okotoks is looking to make it past trials in Toronto next month for the Paralympic Games in Rio.

Kirstie Kasko has endured a number of hurdles in her swimming career at just 23 years old, including surgery for a heart block to have a pacemaker implant in Apr. 2014 and being diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy in Feb. 2015.

Kasko's love for swimming is reflected in her extensive list of accomplishments. She won two gold medals at the 2011 Para Pan-Am Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, a bronze medal at the 2011 Global Games in Liguria, Italy, and competed for Canada at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

Kasko also competed at the 2013 IPC World Championships in Montreal, then went on to three silver medals and one bronze for Canada in the 2015 Para Pan-Am Games in Toronto.

Kasko hasn't let these hurdles hold back her passion to swim and is thankful for her support team.

"I'm just trying to push myself everyday," she says. "A normal swimmer in this situation probably wouldn't be able to do it as easily but I have the support of my mom and the support of many coaches. I'm just happy I'm in this situation with these lovely people, I wouldn't be able to do it without them."

Currently Kasko trains six days a week at the Okotoks Recreation Centre with two days being a double practice where she goes to the Talisman Centre in Calgary. Twice a week she visits the Athlete Factory in Calgary for dry land training as well. She spends a total of two to three hours in the pool each time she trains.

Kasko says she has a bit of tweaking to do to be successful if she hopes to make it to Rio for the Paralympic Games.

"I'm .11 off of my qualifying time in 100 meter backstroke, to get my MQS I have all the MET standards I just need one MQS to qualify and a top eight spot so I'm working on getting three seconds faster in my 100 meter backstroke so I can get to Rio."

She receives coaching from her mom Gail Kasko, Cara Clifford, and trains with the Okotoks Masters Swim Club.

Summit Physiotherapy has been supporting Kasko and providing her with physio and massage therapy and financial assistance to help with pool and coaching. Summit's also been helping Kasko with her material as she goes through her post secondary education to become psychical therapy assistant through Nordquist College.

Kasko inspires people everywhere she goes and has volunteered her time teaching swim lessons at the Okotoks Recreation Centre and given speeches at schools about her Paralympic experience.

Kasko is seeking sponsorship to help fund her dream of making it to the Paralympic trials in Toronto in April and for the Paralympic Games in Rio. Funds will help to cover private coaching, personal training, lane rentals, and travel expenses for the competitions.

As of the end of Febraury, $2,250 has been raised out of her $6,000 goal.

Sponsorships can be made by calling Kasko at (403) 837- 7679, emailing kirstiekasko13@gmail.com, or by clicking here.

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