The two-year countdown has begun for the 2010 Paralympic Games at B.C. Place on Wednesday with activities in Vancouver and Whistler.

To kick off the festivities, members of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic Games (VANOC), Paralympic ice sledge hockey gold medalist Todd Nicholson, and staff and students at Queen Victoria Annex school gathered at Trout Lake Community Centre.

Nicholson became a paraplegic in 1987 after a car accident on the night of his high school graduation dance in Ottawa. Since he was introduced to Paralympic sports in 1989, he has won four Paralympic Game medals.

"I can honestly say that I have done more with my life now after being hurt than I ever would have," Nicholson told the crowd.

Max Newton, a fifth grade student who heard Nicholson speak, said he is amazed at Nicholson's story.

"I think they're better (athletes)," he said. "They're injured and they're still playing like sports ... it's amazing how they do that."

Cathy Priestner Allinger, executive vice president of Sport and Games Operations told ctvbc.ca organizers are working to create greater awareness and exposure for the Paralympic Games.

"Part of our objective is creating greater awareness, of athletes and people with disabilities, not just in our games but across the country," she said.

Carla Qualtrough, president of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, told CTV British Columbia's Mike Killeen the public's awareness of the Paralympic Games is growing.

"Whistler and Vancouver have embraced the Paralympic games," she said. "From an awareness point of view, it's actually in our athletes' interest to have sledge and curling in Vancouver because more people get to see it."

The Own the Podium program, a plan for Canada's Olympic athletes to win more medals, includes a goal to catapult Canada into the top three medal winners at the Paralympics.

The program includes $2.5 million in funding for the 2007-08 season to achieve that goal and has revolutionized performance sports for Paralympians.

The Canadian para-alpine team won 41 World Cup races this winter, more than any other country, and finished second to Austria in total points.

The competition schedule for the games can be viewed here, and a newly released Paralympic video, can be viewed here.

With files from The Canadian Press