Medicine Hat teen, 12, first power-chair athlete at South Zones cross-country

Reid Hintz, a Grade 7 student from Medicine Hat, became the first power-chair para athlete to compete at the Alberta South Zones junior high school cross-country playoffs, completing the two-kilometre course at Nicholas Sheran Park in Lethbridge in 15 minutes and 18 seconds on Wednesday.

His older brother Gage, a Grade 12 student, served as his guide runner, a requirement organizers put in place for safety. Reid finished second in his under-13 category, which had two competitors. His mother, Rebecca Hintz, said zones competitions had previously barred power chairs over concerns about unfair advantage, but the rule was overturned after discussions between the event commissioner and Reid's gym teacher.

Rebecca Hintz said roughly 600 junior high students took part in the event, and many schools stayed to cheer on the para athletes rather than leaving immediately after racing. She said watching Reid and Gage compete on the same course, rather than Reid sitting on the sidelines as he had for years, was especially meaningful for the family.

The race builds on nearly four years of efforts to find accessible athletic opportunities for Reid, including the Rattler Run, the Flutterwhack and Conquer the Ridge events. Reid said he hopes to compete at zones again next year, and his mother expressed hope the momentum could eventually lead to provincial-level competition.