Canada at the 2010 Winter Paralympics

Canada at the
2010 Winter Paralympics
IPC codeCAN
NPCCanadian Paralympic Committee
Websitewww.paralympic.ca
in Vancouver
Competitors46 in 5 sports
Flag bearers Jean Labonte (opening)[1]
Lauren Woolstencroft (closing)
Medals
Ranked 3rd
Gold
10
Silver
5
Bronze
4
Total
19
Winter Paralympics appearances (overview)
Flag bearer Jean Labonté, as the Canadian delegation is entering the stadium during the opening ceremony.

Canada was the host country of the 2010 Winter Paralympics, in Vancouver, the first time it had hosted the Winter Paralympics.[2]

The 2010 Winter Paralympics was the most successful Winter Paralympics for Canada, through 2010. It collected the most total medals and most gold medals of any Winter Paralympics up until then. Canada ended the Games with 19 total medals, 10 of them gold, ending at 3rd in total medals ranking, and 3rd in gold medal ranking. This met the performance level set by the Canadian Paralympic Committee, of ending third in total medal count.[3]

Canadian cross-country skier Brian McKeever, who would have competed at the 2010 Winter Olympics, would have been the first athlete ever to compete both at both the Winter Olympics and the Winter Paralympics.[4] However, his coach cut him two days before the competition so McKeever will in fact not set an Olympic record. McKeever will compete in cross-country and biathlon events at the Winter Paralympics, with his brother Robin as his guide.[5]

Viviane Forest became the first para-athlete to win a gold in both the Winter and Summer Games, by winning the Women's Downhill for Visually Impaired. She had previously won gold in the 2000 and 2004 Summer Paralympics for women's goalball.[6][7]

Lauren Woolstencroft became the first Canadian to win 3 golds at the same Winter Paralympics,[8] this was eventually upped to 5 golds. With her 4th gold medal, she helped Canada set a record for most gold medals at any Winter Paralympic Games by winning the 7th medal. The previous mark was six, set at the 2002 Salt Lake City Paralympics.[9] With her 5th gold medal, she set the record for most gold medals won by any Winter Paralympian at a single Games, and she tied the record for gold medal haul of any Canadian Paralympian at a single Games, tying Chantal Petitclerc (who did the feat twice) and Stephanie Dixon, both Summer Paralympians.[10] Her five gold are also the record for any Canadian Winter Paralympian or Olympian.[11]

  1. ^ "Flagbearers from Opening Ceremony" (PDF). IPC. 12 March 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-20.
  2. ^ "Les représentants de l'équipe Paralympique Canadienne sont les premiers à visiter les sites des Jeux paralympiques d’hiver de 2010 de Vancouver"[permanent dead link], Canadian Paralympic Committee, July 28, 2006
  3. ^ Canada News Wire, "Canada concludes most successful Paralympic Winter Games", CNW Telbec, 22 March 2010 (accessed 24 March 2010)
  4. ^ "Brian McKeever se qualifie pour les Jeux olympiques et paralympiques d’hiver de 2010 à Vancouver" Archived 2010-03-25 at the Wayback Machine, Canadian Paralympic Committee, January 29, 2010
  5. ^ Blind McKeever 'devastated' to miss Olympic debut, AFP, February 27, 2010
  6. ^ Vancouver Sun, "Paralympic para-alpine skiing: Canada’s Viviane Forest does the trifecta, wins visually impaired downhill gold" Archived 2010-03-23 at the Wayback Machine, Mike Beamish, 18 March 2010 (accessed 19 March 2010)
  7. ^ Vancouver Sun, "Para-alpine star Viviane Forest has potential for huge Games medal haul" Archived 2010-03-24 at the Wayback Machine, John Korobanik, 11 March 2010 (accessed 19 March 2010)
  8. ^ The Province, "Nation thrills at triple gold win"[permanent dead link], Ian Austin, 19 March 2010 (accessed 19 March 2010)
  9. ^ Canadian Paralympic Committee, "Woolstencroft lifts Canada to record winter paralympic performance"[permanent dead link], CPC, 19 March 2010 (accessed 19 March 2010)
  10. ^ Vancouver Sun, "Woolstencroft wins fifth gold medal" Archived 2018-10-04 at the Wayback Machine, CanWest News Service, 21 March 2010 (accessed 21 March 2010)
  11. ^ CTV News Channel, "News Weekend", 10:15am broadcast, airdate 21 March 2010