Tackling the triathlon: visually-impaired athlete ready to race in Rio

Triathlete Christine Robbins says she simply wants to "have the best race of my life" when she competes at the Paralympics in Rio.

But if she's completely honest, she would love to be in the top seven.

"That's kind of my secret goal," she said during an interview with Colin Butler on CBC KW's The Morning Edition.

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The 38-year-old Abbotsford, B.C., native is visually impaired and became a triathlete after she took up running and did four half-marathons in two years.

"I just got bored of running," she said. 

Then a friend invited her to a "come and see" para-triathlon event with Triathlon Canada.

"I went and I kind of fell in love with it. I really enjoy the challenge of all three sports," she said, adding the fact the para-triathlon was being added to the Paralympics this year was also a draw for her to try it out.

Guide helps athlete throughout race

To compete, Robbins has a guide who helps her through the course. That guide is University of Guelph student Sasha Boulton. The two met through Robbins' coach, who also knew Boulton.

"We clicked right away and it was a good personality fit, and it was a new challenge for me, so I was drawn in as well right away," Boulton said of meeting Robbins.

Boulton moved to Ottawa to be closer to Robbins in April. Within 10 days of that move, the two were off to Mexico for their first race together.

Athletically, Boulton has to be one step ahead of Robbins during the event except for at the finish line, when Robbins has to be ahead of Boulton.

"I'm her sight for the entire competition, the duration of the race," Boulton said.

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While they are swimming, it is hard to speak to each other, so Boulton taps Robbins on the head to give her direction.

In the biking portion, Boulton steers, shifts the gears and gives verbal directions about turns, or if they need to push to catch up to someone else.

The running portion Robbins has down, Boulton said, so she's mostly there to encourage and guide her.

'A little bit of history'

Robbins said she is excited to take part in the first ever para-triathlon at the Paralympics.

"It's amazing. It's going to be really special being part of the debut of para-triathlon. It's a little bit of history. I feel really privileged to be part of it," she said.

Both women said they're also interested in meeting other athletes.

"Even in our own races, we don't often get time to spend with the other athletes and get to know them, so that's kind of one of the things I'm looking forward to," Robbins said.

After Rio, the two will go their separate ways. Boulton has one more year at the University of Guelph and is eyeing the varsity swim team.

Robbins plans to return to Abbotsford. She said a former guide is trying to talk her into doing an Ironman triathlon, but first, she'll take a break.

"I think I'll always swim and run, recreationally," Robbins said.