Canadian athletes have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Training centers have been closed for weeks. International competitions were extremely rare and widely spaced out due to travel restrictions.
As a result, Canada’s Chef de Mission at the Paralympic Games, Josh Dueck, declined to make any predictions about Canada’s medal haul at the Games which begin on Friday.
“The truth is that we have no context or point of reference to form an informed opinion on the performance of our athletes,” Dueck said.
“However, I would say that our team has potential, but beyond that, I feel a lot of pride in our ranks, athletes who are just happy to be here. It’s a relief, and morale is very good. So when you take all that into account, I think this delegation can cause a lot of surprises. »
Canada sent 49 athletes to China, down from the 54 who earned 28 medals — eight gold, four silver and 16 bronze — at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
They will compete in hockey, curling, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding over the next 10 days.
Among the athletes are veterans Brian McKeever, holder of 17 Paralympic medals in cross-country skiing, and Mark Arendz, who has won eight career medals in cross-country skiing and biathlon, as well as snowboarding hopefuls Tyler Turner and Lisa DeJong. Turner won gold and bronze at the last world championships, while DeJong came home with one gold and two silvers around her neck.
“Appreciate the present moment”
Dueck therefore refuses to make predictions about Canada’s harvest over the next few days, but considers the presence of the national delegation in Beijing a victory in itself. After all, a positive COVID-19 test taken a few weeks before the Paralympic Games practically meant exclusion from the event.
“Our Herculean task was just to get here safely,” Dueck said. But we feel a certain relief. My staff, myself and even the few athletes I’ve met so far have all said, ‘Whew’! That’s what we trained for, for four years, eight years or even 12 years. And now is the time to shine.
“It’s quite special, as soon as you enter [dans la bulle olympique], it is very special; the experience is very much like the world of Peter Pan,” he added.
Canada finished second in the medal table behind the United States four years ago.
Dueck hopes that no matter how many Canadian athletes make it to the podium in Beijing, they can savor the moment.
“I may be biased, but I always said to myself when I was playing my sport that it was necessary to be grateful to be able to do it and appreciate the present moment. Then, new possibilities will appear in front of you,” he concluded.
The Paralympic Games will begin on Friday without athletes from Russia and Belarus. The International Paralympic Committee, which was facing pressure from Western countries and a growing sense of animosity in the Athletes’ Village, therefore had to expel the delegations of these two countries involved in the invasion of Ukraine.