For Joe Radmore, sport has always been about more than competition. Over the years, it has been a source of challenge, purpose, community, and joy.
Radmore first found sport as a young kid looking for something to do. Growing up in the country, he remembers being bored at home and looking for an outlet. That search eventually led him into athletics, where he would go on to compete at the highest level of international sport.
Radmore represented Canada in wheelchair racing and competed at the Paralympic level, including the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games in the T52 400m event. Along the way, he set seven world records during his racing career.
Looking back on those years, Radmore says one of the biggest lessons he learned came during the 1996 Paralympic Games.
“I was in the headspace that I was going to win,” he remembers. “I put a lot of pressure on myself. I finished second, which is still good, but at the time I was disappointed. After that, I learned not to put so much pressure on myself and to enjoy it.”
That mindset became one of the most important lessons he carried forward.
Competing at the Paralympic level required an enormous amount of work and dedication. Radmore trained six days a week, often twice a day, while pushing himself in a specialized racing chair designed for high-performance competition.
Even after retiring from elite competition, sport remained an important part of his life.
“Sport keeps me active and helps me stay positive,” Radmore says.
Over the years, he has continued to explore new sports and challenges. In addition to track racing, he has participated in wheelchair rugby, boccia, curling, and even wheelchair baseball.
Each sport brought something different. Boccia offered a strategic and precision-based challenge, while curling introduced him to a new community of athletes through the RA Centre. Wheelchair baseball became a summer activity that kept him engaged and active.
More recently, Radmore discovered power wheelchair hockey, joining the Ottawa Power Wheelchair Hockey League (OPWHL) after being introduced to the sport by Ryan Lythall and receiving a donated power chair from Good Access.
What keeps him coming back is simple.
“I’m just out there to enjoy myself and be around good people,” he says.
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Power hockey is also a completely different experience from the individual focus of track racing.
“It’s a team sport,” Radmore explains. “You’re working together and helping each other out.”
On the court, Radmore is known for bringing energy and humour to the game. Having played for all four teams in the league, he jokes that he often takes on the role of “the goon,” getting in the way of opponents and setting picks to help teammates create scoring opportunities.
Outside of sport, Radmore has also developed a passion for photography, which he first explored during the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens.
“I like finding the moment in people’s lives and taking a picture so they can remember it,” he says. “It’s about finding people’s happy place and capturing the right moment.”
Photography has become another creative outlet that keeps him engaged and connected with others.
Radmore is also deeply involved in giving back through his work with the Shriners, an organization that supports Shriners Hospitals for Children across North America. Helping young people discover their passions is something he cares deeply about.
When reflecting on the people who supported him throughout his journey, Radmore is quick to recognize those around him.
“My family has always been behind me,” he says, also thanking close friends Sally Thomas, Reid Mulligan, Kosta Hatzis, and Niki Friend for their support over the years.
Today, Radmore continues to stay active across multiple sports and communities, always guided by the same philosophy that shaped his athletic career.
“Do what you love doing,” he says. “Do your best, never give up, and enjoy what you’re doing.”
