Shot putter Greg Steward of Kamloops is seen winning gold at the Tokyo Paralympics, Aug. 31, 2021.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Canadian Paralympic Committee
June 13, 2022 - 6:30 PM
Paralympic gold medal shot putter Greg Stewart is retiring after 20 years of excelling in high performance sport.
Stewart announced the move on a Facebook post Monday, June 13.
“A bit of a bittersweet way to leave, but on top,” he said in the post. “It’s been an exciting trip all these years.”
The 7’2” athlete won a gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics men’s shot put last summer with his record setting throw of 16.75 metres.
READ MORE: Kamloops's Greg Stewart unleashes gold winning shot put at Tokyo Paralympics
“My life in sport has been a story of adaptation, understanding, hard work, commitment and fun,” Stewart said. “I have struggled many days. The struggle to show up, the struggle of whether I’m good enough, the struggle of someone being better than me, the struggle of being disabled in an able body world.”
The inspiring athlete said in his post he is grateful for the struggles he has endured as they have helped shaped his life.
“It’s OK to struggle, but know that it gets better,” he said.
Stewart thanks the many people in his life who have supported him throughout his career, especially his parents.
“Mom and dad, thank you for being there. Thank you for supporting me when I was a five-year-old playing soccer to a 35-year-old winning a Paralympic gold medal.”
He also thanked his coaches and all of his teammates.
Stewart has been an athlete most of his life, despite being born with no left arm below the elbow. He played varsity basketball for Thomson Rivers University, won three world titles with the men's standing volleyball team, and earned two Parapan American Games bronze medals on the sitting volleyball team.
He took up shot put in 2018, and connected with Dylan Armstrong, Canada's Olympic shot put bronze medalist in 2008. The following year, Stewart placed silver in shot put at the Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru.
READ MORE: Kamloops athlete wins silver in Peru despite back injury
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