Most students worry about juggling school, work and exams. For Saint Mary’s track and field athlete Katie Pegg, life is similar: managing school, exams and her varsity athletics each term.
The only difference is, Pegg is a Paralympian, and her schedule also includes high-performance training to compete on the world stage.
Now in her fourth year as a biology major, Pegg finished seventh in the world in Paris in 2024—her first Paralympic Games. Pegg, who was born with a missing radial bone in her right arm, has been a vocal advocate for young athletes to get into parasports. Her decision to compete under this designation earned her a bronze medal at the 2025 World Para Athletic Championships in New Delhi, India.
Featured in our lineup of SMU’s Olympians, Pegg adds to our rich history of athletic excellence here at Saint Mary’s, and she refers to her international experience as a “dream come true” for her goals as an athlete.
So, how does a student-athlete handle the responsibilities that come with balancing a heavy competition schedule with student life? Coming off the heels of Huskies Mental Health week, Pegg gave us a behind-the-scenes look at the reality behind the podium.
A mental game: training for the world stage
Pegg’s involvement in shot put at SMU happened quickly—almost by fate; she talked to the right person at the right time to try out. She followed a similar path when she found out she qualified for the Paralympic Games.
Going from “getting back into shot put” to qualifying for the Paralympics in a matter of months is a big adjustment, especially for someone still in school. Although physical training was a priority for Pegg—especially strength and conditioning—preparation was as much a mental game as a physical one.
“Preparing for the Paralympics was surreal. Because of how fast my path was through the high-performance environment, we were really dialled in on how best to support my mental preparation for the games.”
Pegg relied on a myriad of on-campus resources to support her through this career-making athletic opportunity, leaning on her academic advisors, coaches, professors and athletic directors to ensure she could achieve her goals in sport while still succeeding in her education. “It’s nice to know that there are people here at SMU who are ready to support you through every step of the student-athlete journey,” she says. “Even to this very day, they check in with me to tell me I can reach out to them for support with anything I need.”
With supports in place for her academics and training, Pegg worked hard at creating strategies to manage the pressure that comes with international competition. Reframing her self-talk to honour the process, and not just the win, was key to her pre-game strategy.
“Early on, I felt like I need to prove myself to others. Now, I focus on showing myself what I can do—and that was a big mindset shift we made as I prepared for international competitions.”
