One of wheelchair rugby’s most impactful athletes is stepping away from the game.
Okotokian Zak Madell announced his retirement from international competition after 13 years as a leading figure on Canada’s wheelchair rugby squad highlighted by four Paralympic Games and multiple world championship and Parapan American Games medals.
“Thanks to everyone who’s been a part of the journey — family, friends, teammates,” said Madell, in a Wheelchair Rugby Canada release. “I’ve missed birthdays, weddings, the births of kids. We have to be a little selfish as high-performance athletes. But now I’m looking forward to being more present for those life events.”
Madell, a 2012 Holy Trinity Academy graduate, lost his fingers and legs to a staph infection at the age of 10.
He discovered wheelchair rugby during his high school years after initially pursuing sledge hockey and wheelchair basketball.
Quickly, he burst onto the wheelchair rugby scene as an 18-year-old at the 2012 London Paralympics, capturing a silver medal in his debut at the Games.
Madell went on to be a key figure in the national team for well over a decade, including Paralympic Games experiences in 2016, 2020 and 2024.
Other highlights include winning gold and being named Canada's flag bearer of the closing ceremony of the 2015 Parapan Am Games in Toronto and earning MVP honours and a silver medal at the 2014 world championships.
“He basically redefined what it means to be a high-pointer in wheelchair rugby,” said former Team Canada head coach Patrick Côté, in a release. “When Zak entered the game, it was much slower. Players like him raised the physical standard. They made the game evolve.”
Madell briefly stepped away from wheelchair rugby to focus on his studies as an architecture technology student at SAIT, returning to the international scene ahead of the postponed 2020 Games in Japan.
“On behalf of Wheelchair Rugby Canada, I want to express our deepest gratitude to Zak Madell,” added Paul Hunter, CEO of Wheelchair Rugby Canada, in a release. “Zak is truly one of the greatest to ever play our sport. For more than 13 years, he has represented Team Canada with pride, integrity and excellence. His impact has been felt both on and off the court — through his skill, leadership and commitment to the game.
“We thank him not only for his contributions to the national team program, but also for the lasting impression he has made on the wider community.”
