Goncin, who was born in Bosnia, played a key role in Canada's 79-67 victory over the Netherlands in the quarter-finals at the Bercy Arena. The victory secured Canada's place in the semi-finals. "We beat them in a big game for the first time, so I'm glad today was that day," Goncin said after the game.

Canada have come a long way since their eighth-place finish at the Tokyo Games, and now have a medal to play for in Paris. However, to reach the final they will have to face the reigning Paralympic champions, the USA.

Goncin still has two more opportunities to perform in front of a large crowd, as she does every day at the Bercy Arena. However, basketball is not the most important thing in his life.

"The French fans are incredible," said the 32-year-old. "During the break and everything, you could hear them singing. It sounds crazy on the court. You can't hear anything (from your teammates). That energy gives you an extra boost... I would love to play in front of 10,000 people every day," says the adventurer, for whom every match is a celebration and his sport a way of enjoying life. He also enjoys his work.

Born in Bosnia, Goncin fled the country with his parents in 1994 to escape the Balkan war. He played basketball. However, at the age of 15 he broke his leg because of cancer. The leg had to be amputated and that's when his other life began.

Goncin discovered wheelchair basketball after the accident. He had to adapt and find a new direction in life. He also dedicated himself to his studies, earning a degree in biomechanics and then a master's degree in exercise physiology. As he grew older, he entered the workforce, always wanting his work to have a meaningful impact.

"I think I was on my way to a role in physiology, like high performance," he said. "Of course, it was attractive for me to be in high performance. However, then I realised after my master's degree that it wasn't really what I was passionate about," he said, according to AFP. That's when he realised that his real passion was for children.

"I had to sit down with myself and think about what I was really interested in. And my prosthetist, when I first lost my leg, had a big influence on me. So I thought maybe that was something I could be interested in," he said. His past had a direct influence on his future. What happened to him shaped what he wanted to do.

At the time, Goncin was living in Toronto, where he began looking for something to do and eventually ended up at the Calgary Children's Hospital. He found what he was looking for: a fulfilling job where he could help others, and one that allowed him to leave work at 3:00 p.m. He still has half a day to train and continue to be a high-level Paralympic athlete.

"I can still go to training, do my workouts and do everything I need to do for this part of my life. So it's like a dream come true," his conclusion.