Introduction
On home soil, Canada enjoyed its most successful
Paralympic Winter Games in history. The Canadian Paralympic Committee applauds
its athletes, coaches and staff for achieving its goal of being ranked among
the Top 3 nations in the world in terms of number of gold medals. Canada earned
10 gold medals and finished with 19 medals overall.
Competition ended for Canada on Sunday March 21st with para-nordic star Brian
McKeever (Canmore, Alberta) and guide/brother, Robin, winning their third gold
medal of the Games in the 1 km classic sprint, visually impaired. The tandem
claimed the first winter gold medal for Canada on March 15 in the 20km
freestyle, visually Impaired. McKeever was the first person in the world to
qualify for both the winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in the same year. The
three gold in Whistler give McKeever 10 medals in his illustrious career.
Colette Bourgonje was the first Canadian to earn a podium spot
on 14 March with a silver medal in the women’s 10km race, and added a bronze in
the 5km race.
Lauren Woolstencroft (North Vancouver) became the first Canadian Paralympic
winter athlete to win five gold medals in the same Games. She joined Stephanie
Dixon, Chantal Petitclerc and Joanne Mucz as the only four women to ever
have claimed five gold in any Games, summer or winter.
Viviane Forest (Edmonton) and guide Lindsay Debou also earned five medals in
Whistler. They won gold in downhill, silvers in super-G, super combined and
slalom, and a bronze in giant slalom
