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July 2007 Blogs

 

July 2007 GCDA Magazine

Inspirational Girls and Women - Lorene Hatelt

INSPIRATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN, July 2007, by Jenifer Merifield


SET A GOAL
...and make your dreams come true


Lorene HateltWhen Lorene Hatelt was nine she suffered a brain aneurysm. Much like a stroke, it left her with the loss of use of much of the right side of her body. Something called spacticity occured as a result of the aneurysm. That's when the muscles contract involuntarily, often restricting movement and causing pain.

"When I was 12, the doctor told my Mom I would never run. I was crushed. When you're 12 and someone of authority says that to you, you get scared. It was like he was saying 'close the door, you're in jail.'"

Lorene always loved sports and had a bat in her hand at the age of three. She wanted to run, but first she had to learn how to walk again. With rehab and persistence, she built up enough strength to run. She was in a pool with a friend one day anmd beat him in a swim race to the other side. "That's when I decided I would go for it. I wanted to do triathlons." So she bought herself a bike and got started.

Lorene didn't get into drugs and alcohol. "Alcohol wasn't part of my goal. I knew it wouldn't get me where I wanted to be so I hung out with the jocks and we focused on being healthy and doing stuff we love." It worked for her, and she looks back with no regrets.

Her message to youth today?
You get to choose the group you fall into. It's way more fun having a real good time and remembering it and knowing what's funny is funny because it is funny, rather than not remembering it because of drugs. That's not funny." And for girls struggling with peer pressure; "Always believe you can do it, always be positive. Do an affirmation every day. Say what you believe you are even before you are that. Like, 'I am a great tri-athlete'. Then do what you have to do to make that happen, train, read, whatever. I get up in the morning and say 'I am a happy organized person', I internalize it and believe it and I become it. You have to have a goal... where do you want to be? Where do you see yourself? imagine yourself doing it."

"My parents told me I could do anything and I believed them." Being physically challenged is not something that stopped Lorene from realizing her dreams. Now, she has been a member of Triathlon Canada's National team since 1997 and is a seven time International Triathlon Union World Champion in the physically Challenged (PC) classification.

In addition to working and training for competitions, Lorene is a Certified Professional Trainer, she holds clinics for beginner triathlons and is currently working on her Level 1 coaching certificate. In 2000, Lorene was inducted into the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame and she has served as chairperson for Athletes with Disabilities for many years.

"Set a goal and make your dreams come true!"

~ Jenifer

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