Personal:
I lost my left arm above the elbow in a Farm accident at age seven. After the accident, I joined the War Amps of Canada, in the CHAMP Program, later becoming a Junior Counselor. I used my experiences living with an amputation to show younger Champs that they are capable of doing whatever it is they want. While the accident was initially a major shock, it did not deter me from pursuing my love for sport and competition.
Introduction to Cross-Country Skiing:
Being competitive by nature, I took a liking to sports at a very young age. I began skiing in the backyard when I was about five years old. After the Farm accident, I began a competitive career in 2003 with the use of a ski prosthetic while racing against able-bodied competitors. My interest turned towards Biathlon after watching the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, after which I decided to give it a try. Shortly after I began shooting, and soon was on the local Army Cadet Biathlon team. I had great success with that team, setting record results at Nationals and becoming the first Island team to medal at Nationals.
National Ski Team Background:
I headed into the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games as a man on a mission, to execute the best race plan possible each time a stepped up to the Start line. Focused on becoming a Paralympic Champion. Already with a stellar career under my belt, I had huge success at the 2017 Para-Nordic World Championships in Finsterau, Germany in February 2017, earning five medals. I won three in Biathlon: gold in the Middle Distance and Sprint and silver in the Individual. I won two more medals in Cross Country: bronze in the 10km Freestyle and the 4x2.5-kilometre Open Relay. It was a first-ever World Championship medal for Canada in a Relay. I had been shut out of the medals at the previous Worlds in 2015.
At the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. I earned two medals in Biathlon with silver in the Sprint and bronze in the Middle Distance. My silver was Canada’s best-ever result in Biathlon at the Games. I entered the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Games as the reigning World Cup Biathlon Champion and the World Champion in the Biathlon Sprint.
In 2014, I volunteered with the Canadian organization SchoolBox and that Spring traveled as a member of the non-profit group to Nicaragua to help build a school for a community ravaged by landslides.
I was a member of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic team and have been continually rising in the International standings ever since. I produced a breakthrough season in 2010-11, ranking second overall in the IPC World Cup Biathlon standings, collecting three gold, two silver, and a bronze. He showed in 2011-2012 that the previous season was no fluke, earning two gold, two silver, and two bronze on the World Cup, where again, I ranked second in the Biathlon Overall. In 2012-13, I captured my first career IPC Biathlon World Cup Crystal Globe. Earning four podium finishes on the circuit, in addition to racking up three World Championship medals including his first victory at the World Championships in 2013.
My current focus is on the upcoming training year, as the countdown until the next Games has begun and will be here before you know it. Identifying and planning for the tiniest of details that will make the difference for success at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing, China.