Montreal, Canada – As he took his place at the starting line, sprinter Tamarri Lindo felt his knees begin to wobble.
In seconds, a pistol would fire, signalling to the eight competitors that the race was on — that it was time to jolt forward and dash across the 110-metre track.
Lindo could feel the rubber-coated turf beneath his feet, pushing against the thin fabric of his cleats as he approached the starting block at lane six.
Before him stood 10 hurdles: metal frames spaced evenly across the track. If he could leap over each one — and do it quickly — he stood a chance of joining Canada’s Olympic track and field team. If not, his Olympic dreams would be over for the year.
But there was a bigger obstacle weighing on Lindo’s mind.
Just one day prior, an officer from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) had telephoned with instructions for Lindo to report for his final deportation proceedings. He had less than two weeks to pack up and leave the country.
Lindo bent down and kicked his right leg into the starting block. The race would not only be his best shot to join the Olympic squad — but also his best chance at drumming up public support for his appeal.