The boy who could barely bend his arms and legs is now an award-winning athlete, high school valedictorian and first-year kinesiology student with sights set on medical school and the Paralympic Games.
“I think without having people by my side like my coach, my brothers and my parents, none of my wins would’ve been possible,” says Nathan Sparks.
All of it happened because his parents ignored what a doctor was telling them to do.
Sparks was diagnosed with arthrogryposis multiplex congentia before he was born. It’s a rare condition characterized by multiple joint contractures. Children with the condition have abnormal fibrosis of the muscle tissue, causing muscle shortening that severely restricts range of motion in their stiff arms and legs.
“I’ve only met two other people with the same condition,” says Sparks.
Right after getting the diagnosis, Sparks’ parents were told an abortion was their best option.
They opted instead to do everything they could to help their son gain mobility in his elbows, wrists, knees and ankles. Vigorous therapy at an early age can make a lifelong difference – Sparks’ condition isn’t progressive which means it won’t worsen over time.
So began countless appointments with medical teams at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and the Shriners’ Hospital for Children – Canada in Montreal. Where he once had to crawl up and down stairs, Sparks started walking. After gaining mobility in his arms, flicking Cheerios from his fingers into his mouth – early on, it was the only way he could feed himself – was relegated to a party trick.
“I’ve always found a way through,” says Sparks.
He started playing sledge hockey the year he turned three – practices, games and tournaments got added to the mix of hospital visits. He has two older brothers so his parents were always on the move and became expert schedulers who seemingly never slept. A year into playing hockey, Sparks met National Para Hockey Team defenceman and Paralympian Tyrone Henry who became his role model and mentor. Sparks would join Team Ontario for two seasons and then play with the national Para Ice Hockey development team.
He enjoyed lifting weights, but found cardio workouts beyond boring. Sparks thought competing in triathlons would give him the motivation to build endurance and strengthen his heart and lungs. He competed in a hometown triathlon where he caught the attention of Jenn Flemke, a nationally certified triathlon and paratriathlon coach. Sparks had left by the time Flemke crossed the finish line. A few weeks later, Sparks was coming out of a pool when he ran into one of the coaches of the local triathlon club. That coach connected Sparks with Flemke and they’ve been working together ever since.
“Nate’s such an incredible kid,” says Flemke. “He has the skills that can’t be taught – a willingness to learn, exceptional effort levels, excellent communication skills and a commitment to doing the work. I’ve never once heard Nate complain. He’s disciplined but not rigid and somehow manages to balance it all – school, sports and a social life.”
And then there’s his humility. Flemke says Sparks will walk into a room and, rather than talk about himself, aims to learn from whoever’s there. Sparks never told Flemke he’d been named his high school valedictorian – she found out about that achievement on an Instagram post from his mom.
“I feel so blessed that our paths crossed. Nate’s so inspiring in how he approaches life.”
In his first year as a paratriathlete, Sparks competed in five events and finished first in his category at the National Para Championships. He could swim 750 metres, ride his handcycle for 20 kilometres and then switch to his wheelchair racer for the final five kilometres in just under 90 minutes, shaving seconds off after each competition. He was always the youngest competitor, going up against other athletes who were old enough to be his dad and had been in the sport for years.
Triathlon Ontario named Sparks their 2025 paratriathlon athlete of the year, citing his rapid rise and elite potential. He’s set his sights on representing Canada at the Paralympic Games in either 2028 or 2032. He’s also working on a book that delves into all the behind-the-scenes training and sacrifices that athletes make before the puck drops, the gun goes off and spectators cheer.
“I have no doubt he’ll be representing Canada at the Paralympics,” says Flemke. “And he’ll be an outstanding doctor.”
Sparks moved closer to those goals when he became a McMaster kinesiology student last September. The 18-year-old chose Mac in part because he could train year-round in accessible facilities. When he’s not in class, Sparks is working out in the Pulse Fitness Centre and doing laps on the indoor track with his wheelchair racer, swimming in the Ivor Wynne Centre pool and riding his stand-mounted handcycle in his dorm room. “It’s a good thing I don’t have a roommate,” says Sparks. “It’s pretty crowded.”
Flemke, who’s based in Ottawa, checks his metrics from each workout on a shared calendar and adjusts his training plan as needed.
Sparks also chose McMaster because of the kinesiology program’s reputation: “The best in the country, although I might be biased.”
Growing up, Sparks participated in dozens of clinical studies. It was his way of helping close research gaps about his condition. After a lifetime of being studied, Sparks looks forward to working alongside faculty, postdocs and grad students to design and run studies. He’s already thinking about an undergraduate research project that’ll explore whether treatments for arthrogryposis multiplex congentia can begin in utero.
He also chose kinesiology because he saw it as his best shot at getting into medical school. Sparks wants to be the kind of doctor who reassures overwhelmed families and helps kids find the courage and confidence to meet the challenges of their conditions. Along with telling them it’s not the end of the world, he’ll show them by all that he’s accomplished in sports, academia and life.
With the interview winding down, Sparks puts on his Para-Ontario jacket and gets ready to walk across campus back to his dorm room in the Peter George Centre for Living and Learning. He’s due to spend the next 90 minutes working up a sweat on his handcycle.
There’s time for one last question. After playing sledge hockey for nearly 15 years, does he miss practicing alongside teammates? It was an adjustment at first, says Sparks who’s yet to skip a workout. “When you’re a paratriathlete, there’s no one else making you train every day. And that’s okay because the only way to move forward in life is to move yourself.”