Canada at the Paralympics

Canada has participated eleven times in the Summer Paralympic Games and in all Winter Paralympic Games. They first competed at the Summer Games in 1968 and the Winter Games in 1976.

Canada at the
Paralympics
IPC codeCAN
NPCCanadian Paralympic Committee
Websitewww.paralympic.ca
Medals
Ranked 4th
Gold
410
Silver
349
Bronze
356
Total
1,115
Summer appearances
Winter appearances

Milestones

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At the 2000 Summer Paralympics, Stephanie Dixon set the Canadian record for most gold medals at a single Paralympics, Winter or Summer, with five.[1]

At the 2002 Winter Paralympics, Canada set a new total Canadian gold medal record haul at a Winter Paralympics, with six.[2]

At the 2004 Summer Paralympics, Chantal Petitclerc & Benoit Huot tied the five gold medal record at a single Games.[1] Petitclerc also won the demonstration sport of Wheelchair Racing in the 2004 Summer Olympics.

At the 2008 Summer Paralympics, Chantal Petitclerc again tied the five gold medal record at a single Games.[1]

In 2010, Brian McKeever of Canada became the first athlete in the world to be named to the Winter Paralympics and Winter Olympics teams in the same year. At the 2010 Winter Olympics, he was scheduled to compete in the men's 50 km cross-country race.[3][4][5]

At the 2010 Winter Paralympics, 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 three gold medals at the same Winter Paralympics, at the 2010 edition;[8] this was eventually upped to five golds. With her fourth gold medal, she helped Canada set a record for most gold medals at any Winter Paralympic Games by winning the seventh medal. The previous mark was six, set at the 2002 Salt Lake City Paralympics.[2] With her fifth 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), Dixon, and Benoit Huot both Summer Paralympians.[1] Her five gold medals are also the record for any Canadian Winter Paralympian or Olympian.[9]

At the 2010 Games, Canada collected the most total medals and the most gold medals of any Winter Paralympics, up through 2010 for Canada, with 19 total medals, and 10 golds.[10]

At the 2018 Winter Paralympics, cross country skier McKeever became Canada's most decorated Winter Paralympian when he won a 14th medal in five Games from 2002 to 2018, passing the late Lana Spreeman, who won 13 medals in para-alpine skiing between 1980 and 1994.[11]

Hosting the Games

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Canada has hosted the Games twice.

Games Host city Dates Nations Participants Events
1976 Summer Paralympics Toronto August 3 to August 11, 1976 32 1657 447 in 13 sports
2010 Winter Paralympics Vancouver March 12 to March 21, 2010 44 506 64 in 5 sports

In 1976, and in 2010, Canada also hosted the Olympic Games counterpart, the 1976 Summer Olympics and the 2010 Winter Olympics respectively. Canada did not host the Paralympic Games counterpart to the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta; this was the last Winter Olympics that the host city did not also host the Winter Paralympics. The 1988 Summer Paralympics was the first Paralympics to be linked to the hosting of the Summer Olympics. The 1976 Summer Olympics were hosted in Montreal, and not linked to the Toronto Paralympiad.

Medals

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The ranking in these table is based on information provided by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and is consistent with IPC convention in its published medal tables, ordered first of all by the number of gold medals the athletes from a nation have won, followed by the number of silver medals and then the number of bronze medals.

Medal tables

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Red border colour indicates host nation status.

Best results in non-medaling sports:

Records

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Summer Paralympics

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Multi medalists

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This is a list of Canadian athletes who have won at least three gold medals or five medals at the Summer Paralympics. Bold athletes are athletes who are still in active.

No. Athlete Sport Years Games Gender Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Michael Edgson   Swimming 1984-1992 3 M 18 3 0 21
2 Chantal Petitclerc   Athletics 1992-2008 5 F 14 5 2 21
3 Benoît Huot   Swimming 2000-2016 5 M 9 5 6 20
4 Walter Wu   Swimming 1996-2004 3 M 9 4 2 15
5 Stephanie Dixon   Swimming 2000-2008 3 F 7 8 2 17
6 Arnold Boldt   Athletics 1976-1992, 2012 6 M 7 1 0 8
7 Joanne Mucz   Swimming 1984-1992 3 F 6 2 0 8
8 Lisa Franks   Athletics 2000-2008 3 F 6 1 0 7
Jessica Sloan   Swimming 2000 1 F 6 1 0 7
Michelle Stilwell   Athletics
  Wheelchair basketball
2000-2016 5 F 6 1 0 7
11 Joanne Bouw   Athletics 1984-1996 4 F 5 0 2 7
12 Aurelie Rivard   Swimming 2012-2024 4 F 6 4 3 13
13 Eugene Reimer   Athletics 1968-1980 4 M 4 5 2 11
14 Valerie Grand'Maison   Swimming 2008-2012 2 F 4 4 0 8
15 Jacques Martin   Athletics 1984-2000 5 M 4 3 2 9
16 Andre Viger   Athletics 1980-1996 5 M 3 3 4 10
17 Danielle Campo   Swimming 2000-2004 2 F 3 2 2 7
18 Rick Hansen   Athletics 1980-1984 2 M 3 2 1 6
19 Philippe Gagnon   Swimming 2000 1 M 3 1 0 4
20 Andre Beaudoin   Athletics 1988-2008 6 M 2 7 6 15
21 Marc Quessy   Athletics 1988-1996 3 M 1 5 2 8
22 Brent Lakatos   Athletics 2012-2024 2 M 2 9 2 13
23 John Belanger   Athletics 1984-1988 2 M 0 4 0 4
24 Joyce Murland   Athletics
  Shooting
1972-1976 2 F 0 2 3 5

Multi golds at single Games

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This is a list of Canadian athletes who have won at least two gold medals in a single Games. Ordered categorically by gold medals earned, sports then year.

No. Athlete Sport Year Gender Gold Silver Bronze Total
Athletics
1 Tham Simpson   Athletics 1984 F 5 0 0 5
2 Lisa Franks   Athletics 2000 F 4 1 0 5
3 Jamie Bone   Athletics 1988 M 3 0 1 4
4 Laura Misciagna   Athletics 1980 F 3 0 0 3
Richard Reelie   Athletics 1988 M 3 0 0 3
Frank Bruno   Athletics 1992 M 3 0 0 3
6 Eugene Reimer   Athletics 1968 M 2 1 0 3
Rick Hansen   Athletics 1984 M 2 1 0 3
8 James Shaw   Athletics 1996 M 2 0 1 3
Swimming
1 Michael Edgson   Swimming 1988 M 9 0 0 9
2 Jessica Sloan   Swimming 2000 F 6 1 0 7
3 Walter Wu   Swimming 1996 M 6 0 1 7
4 Stephanie Dixon   Swimming 2000 F 5 2 0 7
5 Joanne Mucz   Swimming 1992 F 5 0 0 5
6 Valerie Grand'Maison   Swimming 2008 F 3 2 0 5
7 Danielle Campo   Swimming 2000 F 3 1 0 4
Philippe Gagnon   Swimming 2000 M 3 1 0 4
Aurelie Rivard   Swimming 2016 F 3 1 0 4
10 Summer Mortimer   Swimming 2012 F 2 1 1 4
Multiple sports
1 Martha Gustafson   Athletics 1984 F 5 0 0 7
  Swimming 1 1 0

Multi medals at single event

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This is a list of Canadian athletes who have won at least three medals in a single event at the Summer Paralympics. Ordered categorically by medals earned, sports then gold medals earned.

No. Athlete Sport Event Years Games Gender Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Arnold Boldt   Athletics High jump 1976-1992 5 M 5 0 0 5
2 Benoît Huot   Swimming 200m individual medley 2000-2016 5 M 5 0 1 6
3 Martha Gustafson   Athletics Discus throw 1976-1984 3 F 3 0 0 3
4 Walter Wu   Swimming 400m freestyle 1996-2004 3 M 2 1 0 3
Kirby Cote   Swimming 200m individual medley 2000-2008 3 F 2 1 0 3

Most appearances

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This is a list of Canadian athletes who have competed in four or more Summer Paralympics. Active athletes are in bold. Athletes who were aged under 15 years of age and over 40 years of age are in bold.

No. Athlete Sport Birth Year Games Years First/Last Age Gender Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Chris Daw Athletics, Rugby, Curling 1970 1984-2006 14 - 36 M 2 0 0 2
2 Clayton Gerein   Athletics 1964 1984-2008 20 - 40 M 3 1 1 5
3 Arnold Boldt   Athletics
  Cycling
1957 1976-1992, 2012 18 - 35 M 7 1 0 8
3 Andre Viger   Athletics 1952 1980-1996 27 - 43 M 3 3 4 10
Chantal Petitclerc   Athletics 1969 1992-2008 22 - 39 F 14 5 2 21
Paul Tingley   Sailing 1970 2000-2016 30 - 46 M 1 0 2 3
Benoît Huot   Swimming 1984 2000-2016 16 - 32 M 9 5 6 20

Winter Paralympics

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Multi-medalists

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This is a list of Canadian athletes who have won at least two gold medals or three medals at the Winter Paralympics. Athletes in bold are still active.

No. Athlete Sport Years Games Gender Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Brian McKeever   Cross-country skiing 2002-2018 4 M 13 2 2 17
2 Lauren Woolstencroft   Alpine skiing 2002-2010 3 F 8 1 1 10
3 Sonja Gaudet   Wheelchair curling 2006-2014 3 F 3 0 0 3
4 Mac Marcoux   Alpine skiing 2014-2018 2 M 2 0 3 5
5 Ina Forrest   Wheelchair curling 2010-2018 3 F 2 0 1 3
6 Lana Spreeman   Alpine skiing 1980-1994 5 F 1 6 6 13
7 Viviane Forest   Alpine skiing 2010 1 F 1 3 1 5
8 Stacy Kohut   Alpine skiing 1994-2002 3 F 1 3 0 4
9 Mark Arendz   Biathlon 2014-2018 2 M 1 2 2 5
10 Mollie Jepsen   Alpine skiing 2018-2022 2 F 2 2 2 6
Chris Williamson   Alpine skiing 2002-2014 4 M 1 1 2 4
11 Natalie Wilkie   Cross country skiing 2018 1 F 1 1 1 3
12 Karolina Wisniewska   Alpine skiing 1998-2002, 2010 3 F 0 4 4 8

Multi golds at one game

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This is a list of Canadian athletes who have won at least two gold medals at a single Winter Paralympics. Order by gold medals earned, sport then year.

No. Athlete Sport Year Gender Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Lauren Woolstencroft   Alpine skiing 2010 F 5 0 0 5

Multi medals at one game

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This is a list of Canadian athletes who have won at least three medals in a single event at the Winter Paralympics. Order by medals earned, sport then year.

No. Athlete Sport Event Years Gender Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Brian McKeever   Cross-country skiing 10 km cross country 2002-2018 M 5 0 0 5
2 Sonja Gaudet   Wheelchair curling Mixed curling team 2006-2014 F 3 0 0 3
3 Ina Forrest   Wheelchair curling Mixed curling team 2010-2018 F 2 0 1 3

Most appearances

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This is a list of Canadian athletes who have competed in at least four Winter Paralympics. Still active athletes are in bold.

No. Athlete Sport Born Year Games Years First/Last Age Gender Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Chris Daw Athletics, Rugby, Curling 1970 1984-2006 14 - 36 M 2 0 0 2
1 Lana Spreeman   Alpine skiing 1955 1980-1994 24 - 38 F 1 6 6 13

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d 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)
  2. ^ a b Canada Newswire, "Woolstencroft lifts Canada to record winter paralympic performance", CNW Group, 19 March 2010 (accessed 3 March 2020)
  3. ^ Cernetig, Miro (February 17, 2010). "Legally blind skier embodies the Olympic ideal". Vancouver Sun. Vancouver, British Columbia. p. D6. Retrieved December 17, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Associated Press, "Canada's McKeever to ski at Olympics, Paralympics" Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine, Rachel Cohen, 17 February 2010 (accessed 21 February 2010)
  5. ^ Boston Herald, "Blind Olympian doesn’t believe in limits", Steve Kelley, 20 February 2010 (accessed 21 February 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. ^ Austin, Ian (February 17, 2010). "Nation thrills at triple gold win". The Province. Vancouver, British Columbia. p. A13. Retrieved December 17, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  9. ^ CTV News Channel, "News Weekend", 10:15am broadcast, airdate 21 March 2010
  10. ^ Canada News Wire, "Canada concludes most successful Paralympic Winter Games", CNW Telbec, 22 March 2010 (accessed 24 March 2010)
  11. ^ Hall, Vicki (March 12, 2018). "Brian McKeever's 'relentless' drive leads to historic Paralympic gold". CBC Sports. Retrieved March 12, 2018.