Spallumcheen curler Ina Forrest will represent Canada in the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games. The team is (left to right): Ina Forrest, Spallumcheen, BC, Dennis Thiessen, Crystal City, MB, Collinda Joseph, Ottawa, ON, Jon Thurston, Dunsford, ON, and Mark Ideson, London, ON.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Curling Canada
January 27, 2022 - 2:30 PM
A curler from the North Okanagan will be representing Canada in the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.
Ina Forrest of Spallumcheen, just north of Vernon, was chosen once again to play on the winter games wheelchair curling team.
Forrest won gold competing at the Vancouver 2010 games and was described in a Canadian Wheelchair Curling Canada media release as one of the world’s most decorated wheelchair curlers.
“The Paralympics are the goal you set and strive for during the quadrennial,” Forrest said. “Being at the Paralympics means being part of the whole Team Canada, meeting other Canadian athletes, and cheering them on. Every experience is different, but each is utterly amazing.”
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Forrest is joined by teammates Dennis Thiessen of Manitoba, along with Collinda Joesph, Jon Thurston and Mark Ideson of Ontario.
Over the last two years, training and competitions have been impacted by the pandemic, the curling team was still able to compete in three world championships.
In 2019, the team won gold in the B world championships, silver in the 2020 world championships, and recently finished fifth in the 2021 iteration, according to Curling Canada.
“It’s an absolute honour to be a part of this team,” head coach Mick Lizmore said in the release. “We’re going to do whatever we can to support our athletes, and I’m so excited to see what we can accomplish together.”
Lizmore will be supported by the team leader, and head of Canada’s national wheelchair curling program Wendy Morgan.
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Since wheelchair curling was introduced to the Paralympic Winter Games in 2006, Canada has won three gold medals and one bronze medal.
“A very warm welcome to the team to our wheelchair curlers Mark, Ina, Dennis, Jon, and Collinda,” Beijing 2022 Canadian Paralympic Team chef de mission Josh Dueck said in the release.
“Canada has always been one of the best nations in wheelchair curling and I know this team will continue to make us proud. With three Paralympic champions and stalwarts in the sport Mark, Ina and Dennis returning for another opportunity to compete at the Games, and first-time Paralympians Jon and Collinda adding their talents, this team will always be in a strong position to do well. I wish them the best of luck and look forward to cheering them on in Beijing.”
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