Meet Canadian Para athlete Michael Barber

When we hear the term “Para athlete,” we may envision athletes with evident physical differences, but some conditions are not visible. Autism is just one example. Michael Barber, 25, of Victoria, is one of the first Canadian athletes with autism to make a name for himself as a Para athlete. He has been selected for Team Canada to compete in the World Para Athletics Championships, which begin Friday in New Delhi and run until Oct. 5.

Barber is the son of Canadian 1,500m runner Gary Barber (who competed at the 1990 Commonwealth Games), and from a young age, Michael was inspired by stories from his father’s day. (Gary is pictured above, on the left.) Michael was diagnosed with autism as a young child, and a community running event in 2006 would change his life. After participating in a children’s 1 km event, Michael became determined to distinguish himself as an athlete–and he has done so, many times.

Michael won gold in the T20 1,500m at the inaugural World Para Athletics Junior Championships in Nottwil, Switzerland, in 2017. (The T20 classification is for Para athletes with intellectual impairments.)

In 2019, at the Parapan Am Games in Lima, Peru, he made the final of the T20 1,500m, finishing sixth. And at the 2023 World Para [senior] Championships, he set a Canadian record in the men’s T20 1,500m, at 3:58.64, to finish ninth. (He also holds the Canadian record in the T20 800m, at 1:53.90.)

Following in the footsteps of his father, Michael shows the determination to establish himself as a world-class competitive athlete in his own right, despite the many challenges faced by people with disabilities, in sport and in life.

“My father represented Canada in the 1990 Commonwealth Games in New Zealand,” Michael says. “He encouraged me to get into running when I was young, and has continued to mentor me throughout my life.”

He also acknowledges the influence of his coach, two-time Olympian Bruce Deacon (pictured above, right). “Bruce has been a great mentor to me, helping guide me to where I am today in the athletics community,” he told us. 

He attributes his success to focusing on running from a young age: “The biggest thing that I feel worked well for me when I was young was finding a sport,” he says. “When my dad got me into running, it changed my life. Without it, I don’t know where my path would have led. 

“I didn’t that sport would help me establish social connections or lead to education, or the opportunities I have received to represent my country.

“I identify as a role model for younger generations,” he adds. “When I work with younger people, I use my own experiences to give students and athletes my idea as a role model. When I was their age, my goal was to run in the Olympic Games!”

Speaking as a runner on the spectrum myself, I can say that Michael’s accomplishments can embolden others to find their voices. 

For the schedule of events and results at the World Para Athletics Championships, click here. 

Guest author Zachary Randle is a Niagara Falls, Ont.-based runner with Asperger’s syndrome who has been running since age 12. He wrote a story about the late Robert Carreau of Rosseau, Ont., which was published in the January & February 2024 issue of Canadian Running.