The Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) has announced that 49 athletes will represent Canada at the Paralympic Games in Beijing next month.
Of this number, 25 athletes are already Paralympic medalists, while 19 will have their first experience at the Games.
Canada will compete in all five winter sports on the program in Beijing, Para Ice Hockey (17 athletes), Para Nordic Skiing including Biathlon and Cross Country Skiing (12), Para Alpine Skiing (11) , wheelchair curling (5) and para snowboarding (4).
A team of 49 coaches and support staff will also travel to Beijing for the Games, which run from March 4-13.
“The past few years have been marked by many challenges and uncertainties, and while each person’s journey to the Games is unique, these 49 athletes have worked very hard to get here and they deserve their place in the team,” said Canadian Paralympic Team Chef de Mission for the Beijing Games, Josh Dueck.
Eight athletes from Quebec will travel to Beijing for the Paralympic Games. Only Ontario, with 21 representatives, will send more athletes to defend the colors of Canada. British Columbia will also see eight of its athletes compete at the Games.
Quebecers Alexis Guimond, Julien Petit and Frédérique Turgeon will take part in the para-alpine ski events. Guimond will be looking for a second career Paralympic podium, having finished third in the giant slalom in 2018.
Lyne-Marie Bilodeau will experience her first Games in para-Nordic skiing, as will Sandrine Hamel, in para-snowboarding.
The national para hockey team had already announced the composition of its team, which will include Quebecers Anton Jacobs-Webb, Dominic Larocque and Antoine Lehoux.
Larocque, 34, was on the Canadian roster in 2014, when she won bronze, and in 2018, when she took silver.
In addition, two Canadian athletes will be competing at their sixth Paralympic Games. They are Billy Bridges, in para hockey, and Brian McKeever, in para nordic skiing.
McKeever is Canada’s most decorated Winter Paralympian, with 17 medals, including 13 gold.