The sports world – and most people – love an Olympic hero overcomes adversity story. Canadian Max Parrot won gold in snowboard slopestyle on Monday 7 February at the Beijing Olympics, upgrading from the silver he won at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. In between his trips to podiums, Parrot, of Bromont, Que., was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which necessitated his missing the entire 2018-19 season. Now, just over three years later, he stood atop the Olympic podium with Canada’s first gold medal of these Beijing Games.
Parrot was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in late 2018, but in July 2019 announced he was cancer-free. After Parrot learned of his blood cancer, he underwent 12 rounds of chemotherapy over six months during which he said he shaved his head, developed an aversion to lattes and was generally taken out of training. Just two months after completing his chemotherapy later, he competed at the X Games in Norway at the end of August 2019 where he won gold in the big air. He followed that up in December with big air gold at the World Cup in Beijing and then in January 2020 with big air gold at the X Games in Aspen. In March 2020 he won slopestyle gold and big air silver at the X Games in Norway. In 2021, Parrot competed at his first FIS World Championships where he won silver in big air behind Canadian teammate Mark McMorris.
“So much went by in those last four years,” an emotional Parrot told BBC Sport. “The last time I was at the Olympics, in Pyeongchang, I got a silver medal, and then I had to go through cancer. It was a nightmare – it’s so hard to describe what I’ve been through.” It really just shows how anything is possible. Three years ago, I was laying down in a hospital bed. You have no cardio, you have no energy, you have no muscles. To be back out here, at the Olympics, on a podium again but with a gold medal, it feels amazing.”
As he had entered the slopestyle competition in tenth position, Parrot made a vow to “go big or go home,” throwing all caution to the wind – and landed three triple rotations.
“I laid down the best run of my entire life …. I’m so proud of every feature, how I was able to clear them, and I’m really stoked with my score.”
As he had entered the slopestyle competition in tenth position, Parrot made a vow to “go big or go home,” throwing all caution to the wind – and landed three triple rotations.
I laid down the best run of my entire life …. I’m so proud of every feature, how I
was able to clear them, and I’m really stoked with my score.
Perhaps Parrot’s secret is his gratitude for being able to beat a frequently fatal disease. “Every time I step on my snowboard, I smile twice as much as before and it just transplanted into my training.”
