Carrying CanadaB次元官网网址檚 flag into the opening ceremony of the Beijing Paralympics will feel like a victory in itself, say Ina Forrest and Greg Westlake.
Forrest, a three-time Paralympic medallist in wheelchair curling, and Westlake, one of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 most decorated hockey players, were chosen as CanadaB次元官网网址檚 flag-bearers for FridayB次元官网网址檚 opening ceremony at BirdB次元官网网址檚 Nest Stadium.
And after two years of upheaval caused by COVID-19, including the crush of cases the past couple of months due to the Omicron variant, the veteran Paralympians were rejoicing on Wednesday over successfully getting to the starting line.
B次元官网网址淲hen you finally get on the flight and know youB次元官网网址檙e going, youB次元官网网址檙e like B次元官网网址榃ow, we made it everybody,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Forrest said.
B次元官网网址淚t was stressful,B次元官网网址� Westlake added. B次元官网网址淲e could lie and say it wasnB次元官网网址檛, but one of the biggest challenges for these Games was just getting to these Games.B次元官网网址�
Beijing marks the first time Paralympic flag-bearer duties will be shared by two Canadian athletes.
Westlake and Forrest are two of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 most decorated winter Paralympians. Forrest, a 59-year-old from Spallumcheen, B.C., captured gold at the 2010 and 2014 Paralympics, plus bronze four years ago in Pyeongchang. She also has three world titles.
She was struck by a drunk driver and paralyzed when she was 21, but didnB次元官网网址檛 consider sports until she was approached by an avid wheelchair curler in a grocery store in 2004. She was named to her first national team two years later.
B次元官网网址淧retty excited and thrilled to be chosen,B次元官网网址� Forrest said on flag-bearer honours. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 one of those just-so-proud-to-be-Canadian moments. And as a Canadian athlete, you have a few of those through your career. So, this will be just one more to add to the package of something you just feel deep inside your heart.B次元官网网址�
Westlake, a 35-year-old from Oakville, Ont., is making his fifth Paralympic appearance. The former longtime Canadian team captain won gold in 2006 and bronze in 2014, and lost in the gold-medal game to rival U.S. in 2018.
Westlake, who had both legs amputated below the knee when he was just 18 months old after he was born with malformed feet, has been a strong voice for Paralympians for years.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a long time, a lot of advocacy, a lot of just standing up for Paralympians over the years, trying to really promote just the quality of athletes and more importantly the quality of people. Being involved in Paralympic sport has just had such a profound impact on my life and really shaped the man I am today,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪o, IB次元官网网址檓 extremely proud. IB次元官网网址檓 extremely humbled by the honour and I just canB次元官网网址檛 wait to get out there with my teammates.B次元官网网址�
It was fitting, Westlake laughed, that both he and Forrest learned theyB次元官网网址檇 be flag-bearers over a Zoom call with CanadaB次元官网网址檚 chef de mission Josh Dueck.
With the shuttering of training facilities, and tight travel restrictions, Canadian athletes have been among the hardest hit by COVID-19.
Westlake credited Hockey Canada for their B次元官网网址渁mazing jobB次元官网网址� preparing players and ensuring they had the necessary tools at their disposal, whether it was access to ice, or fake ice players could set up in their garages to practise stickhandling and shooting.
B次元官网网址淎nd we had (Zoom meetings) weekly, daily, and we really pushed ourselves in other aspects that maybe we just didnB次元官网网址檛 have the time to do before,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e worked so much on our mental resiliency, our mental toughness, our sports psychology. We were doing book reports, things that I hadnB次元官网网址檛 done in years as a high-performance athlete.
B次元官网网址淲e tried to enjoy it as much as we could. And now, itB次元官网网址檚 the payoff. WeB次元官网网址檙e here and we get to be together and play together and compete.B次元官网网址�
The threat of testing positive for COVID-19 amid the highly contagious Omicron variant meant several weeks spent in virtual isolation for both Westlake and Forrest.
B次元官网网址淎s a team, youB次元官网网址檙e just wanting to protect each other. So, youB次元官网网址檙e not together because thatB次元官网网址檚 the safest way to be. And thatB次元官网网址檚 a hard way to be a team preparing for Paralympics,B次元官网网址� Forrest said. B次元官网网址淲hen we finally did get together, it was great to be able to practise and train the way we like to train. But again, youB次元官网网址檙e in the bubble situation, youB次元官网网址檙e away from home. And it just seems like it was so easy for people to catch COVID, so you were still really worried.B次元官网网址�
CanadaB次元官网网址檚 COVID restrictions meant CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Para hockey team arrived in Beijing with only a half dozen games under its belt this past season. The team has played two exhibition games in Beijing, beating South Korea 7-0 on Tuesday and the Czech Republic 6-0 on Wednesday.
The Paralympics open Friday and run through March 13.
Nordic skiing star Brian McKeever, a 17-time Paralympic medallist, was CanadaB次元官网网址檚 flag-bearer at the opening ceremony four years ago in South Korea. Para judo athlete Priscilla Gagne carried the Maple Leaf into the opening ceremony at the Tokyo Summer Paralympics in August.
B次元官网网址擫ori Ewing, The Canadian Press
