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36 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2010 London Marathon victory huge for Cassidy's career By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR TONY BOCK / TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO MARATHON MAN: Josh Cassidy, pictured during a recent training session in Oakville, won the London Marathon wheelchair race last weekend. The Oakville Arts Council Presents... Most would refer to the road to the 2012 Paralympic Games as a marathon, not a sprint. Not that it matters to Josh Cassidy. Already one of the top short-distance wheelchair racers in the world, the 25year-old local resident recently re-added the marathon distance to his repertoire -- with immediate dividends. Cassidy stunned an experienced and accomplished field at the London Marathon last weekend, winning the 42-kilometre race by 46 seconds over his nearest competitor. Winning the London Marathon was a watershed moment in Cassidy's career for a couple reasons. "My biggest reaction was just `finally' because I finished so close in big races often. It's important to me on the sports scene athletically because it's a good mental block to get over," said the Sheridan College grad. "Really, most importantly, it's going to be hopefully much easier to find some sponsors. That will be a major factor in having success in London 2012." Cassidy competed in the 800-metre, 1,500m and 5,000m distances at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing, posting the fourth-fastest time in Paralympic history in the 5,000m (but somehow still finishing off the podium). He resumed competing in marathons only a year ago, thinking that it would provide valuable cross-training more than it might lead him to gold medals. "I really wanted to see how this would go. This is kind of a test right now to see whether or not I would focus on training See Cassidy page 38 Stars Among Us `10 Oakville BBQ SEASON HAS OFFICIALLY ARRIVED AT... BBQ ISLAND with Host Vince Carlin The Paula Gardin Band and Special Performance by Johannes Linstead GOURMET Q WAS $12,995 SALE OUTDOOR Q WAS $9,995 BLOWOUT SALE SALE May 13 6:30PM Red Carpet 7:30PM Show 9:30PM O'Finn's After Party Taped For TV Cogeco Broadcast SALE $7495 $5995 $6995 $2895 OCTI Q WAS $10,995 BBQ Visit us at Our NEW Location... LONGHORN WAS $3,995 Tickets $60 Call the Oakville Centre for the Perfrorming Arts at WAS $10,995 905-815-2021 or www.oakvillecentre.ca SALE $6995 SALE An event in support of the Arts in Oakville Major Funders Print Media Partner Award Sponsors Broadcast Partner Ticket Sponsors TWIST ED 5280 South Service Road - Between Burloak Drive and Appleby Line BURLINGTON Monday-Thursday 9:00am - 5:00pm, Friday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm, Saturday 10:00am - 4:00pm, Sunday 11:00am - 4:00pm. Cash, Cheque, Mastercard, Visa accepted 905-592-0282