Cameron Rahles-Rahbula to carry Australian flag in opening ceremony of Sochi Paralympic Games

CAMERON Rahles-Rahbula to carry the flag for Australia in the opening ceremony of the Sochi Paralympic Games

Cameron Rahles-Rahbula celebrates his second bronze medal at the Vancouver Winter Paralym

LAST September Geelong alpine skier Cameron Rahles-Rahbula was happily retired from international competition but on Friday night he will carry the Australian flag as he marches into a fourth and final Paralympic Games.

The 30-year-old who lost his left leg to bone cancer at the age of 14 will be joined in Sochi by his wife Emily and their two-year-old son Archie as he looks to add to his two Paralympic bronze medals.

“You don’t often get to share it with family and I’ll have my little boy here,” he said.

“I know he won’t remember it but I’ll be able to remember having him screaming on the sidelines.

“And whether I come away with a medal or fall on my arse, he’ll be screaming ‘daddy’ and I’ll be happy.”

But Rahles-Rahbula, who had to be talked out of a brief retirement last year on the condition he could spend the Australian summer at home, said he was just happy to be in Russia with the team.

Cameron Rahles-Rahbula of Australia competing at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Paralympic Games.

He made his Paralympic debut in Salt Lake City in 2002 and won two bronze medals in Vancouver in 2010. He said he was surprised but also honoured to be named Australian flag bearer for Friday night’s opening ceremony.

“It wasn’t something I was expecting, I was just rapt to be here,” he said.

“The team has been a great support to me and to be able to say my farewell on the big stage was really the goal of Sochi and to ski the best as I can.

“And to have this honour of representing my country and leading them out is fantastic.

“If you’d asked me four or five months ago it (Sochi) wasn’t on the cards. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to be here, but as with any sporting career it’s always a juggle and skiing is a sport you spend a lot of time overseas and travelling.

“It’s a big commitment not just by you but your family and I’d reached that point where it had become challenging to dedicate the time I would have liked.

“Luckily enough the APC was keen to have me there in whatever capacity I could do.”