Paris 2024: Amy Burk prepares to lead Canada to goalball podium

Amy Burk is preparing to win her first Paralympic medal in goalball at Paris 2024. Canada earned a ticket for the Paris 2024 after winning the women’s event at the Santiago 2023 Para Pan American Games.

We caught up with the four-time Paralympian as she prepares to win her first medal in the French capital. 

How did you start Para sport? 

When I was younger, my teacher showed me the world of Para sport and what it was like to play visually impaired sports. He introduced me to the sport but I didn’t fall in love with it at first. I kind of thought it was a little crazy. But as I matured a bit, I wanted to give it a second chance, and I went back. And seventeen years later, here I am.

What do you like the most about goalball?

What I enjoy the most about goalball is how unique it is. Goalball is one of the few team sports for blind and visually impaired athletes, so that’s what really drew me to it. We’re such a close-knit team, it becomes a little family. There’s definitely no better group that I'd like to spend my time away with, when I have to be away from home.

Goalball has done so much for me throughout my whole life and my career.

You made your Paralympic debut at Beijing 2008. What was the experience like? 

To compete at the Paralympic Games for the first time was a huge honour. Even to this day, every Paralympic Games has been a huge honour, to get to represent your country on the biggest international stage of your sport. It’s so hard to put into words.

Walking through the tunnel heading into the stadium for Opening Ceremones, and having your flagbearers leading you in and you have all of Team Canada around you. You have people in the stands and people at home watching. It gives you such a sense of pride and joy.

I know for every athlete, your goal is to be on the podium. But to know how many people are proud of you, it can be very emotional and very overwhelming. It’s such an amazing thing to get to experience. I’ve got to represent my country on so many levels, and it never gets old. It’s just one of the greatest feelings.

How do you think you’ve grown as an athlete?

Over my career, I’ve changed a lot. At Beijing 2008, I essentially went as a rookie. I was the sixth member of the team. I was there to learn and just see what it was like to be in a major international competition. Since then, I’ve picked up more of a leadership role and became our team’s leading goal-scorer at London 2012. Rio was the same thing – I was the captain of the team and helped push young athletes.

I’ve grown so much as a person and so much as an athlete. Before starting goalball, I was shy and quiet and always afraid to be the one to speak up. Now I’m leading the charge. People tell me I talk far too much. When we have meetings, they run long because I just have so much to say. I want our team to be amazing so any idea I have, I’m pumped to share it.

What was competing at Tokyo 2020 like?

Tokyo 2020 was a Games like no other. It was still amazing, the fact that the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee was able to pull off a safe and effective Paralympics was amazing. The Games were different, but still had their perks. We were there to represent our country, we were there to go and get a Paralympic medal, despite everything that was happening around us. And that’s what sport is, right?

We brought all the nations together, that’s what Olympics and Paralympics are supposed to be. Everybody struggled leading up to Tokyo 2020 to train, but we found our ways to get it done.

What are your expectations for Paris 2024?

I’m excited not only to go to Paris with my teammates, but also with my family, and to get to represent my country. My expectation for Paris is to be on the podium. Paris would be my fifth Paralympic Games. To just get on the podium and get a Paralympic medal – I'd be speechless. I can guarantee it.

How are you preparing for Paris 2024?

The journey for Paris 2024 has been difficult in the sense that all countries are getting so much better. You need to be at your best all the time – you can’t take any country for granted. You can’t take any practice session for granted.

You need to be on your game at all times and ready to work because things are not just going to be handed to you. But that’s what we want. We want all the high-pressure games, we want them to be close, tough, competitive games. That’s what the sport has evolved into and that's great to see.

How has Para sport changed your life?

Para sport has changed my life. It’s been quite a journey. I don’t know what my life would have been like if I didn’t get involved in goalball. I met my husband through the sport and we have two boys. I’ve had friends all over the world. My sister-in-law is on our team. My family is so integrated with sport.

I was that quiet shy kid, embarrassed of my disability, not wanting to talk about it. Now I'm advocating and I’m pushing for the Paralympic Movement, and just helping it grow. I’m fortunate that I was brought into the Paralympic Movement.

Finally, can you send a message to people who are interested in taking up Para sports?

If there’s one thing that I had to tell someone about Para sport is to just try. When I first tried goalball, I was scared and I was intimidated. I turned my back on it. I’m fortunate enough that a year later, I was like, ‘OK, you know what? I didn’t give it a fair enough chance.’

If something is hard, I think you need to just stick with it and try other sports that might appeal to you. If I didn’t give goalball a second chance, I wouldn’t be here; I wouldn’t have had the chance to represent my country. I wouldn’t have met the great people I’ve met and worked with the great people that I’ve worked with. You need to try something that you feel uncomfortable with and it’s OK to not be comfortable. 

Book your tickets for the Paralympic Games by visiting the Paris 2024 ticketing website.