Local Athletes Ready for Paralympics

Written by Peter McIntyre Friday, 12 March 2010 11:02

Vernon's Sonja Gaudet and Armstrong's Ina Forrest open up play with their Canadian wheelchair curling team Saturday at the Paralympics in Vancouver.

They are members of the team skipped by Richmond's Jim Armstrong that open up against Great Britain at 12:30.

The 43 year old Gaudet is the only returning member of the Canadian team that won gold at the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy.

She suffered a spinal cord injury after falling from a horse several years ago.

The 47 year old Forrest was a member of the BC Wheelchair Curling Team that won silver in the 2004 and 2005 National Wheelchair Curling Championships.

29 year old Josh Dueck of Vernon (pictured) goes for a medal in alpine skiing Saturday afternoon in Whistler.

He broke his back in a ski accident, leaving him with paraplegia.

The Paralympic games begin tonight, and last until March 21st.

The games in Vancouver and Whistler involve around 600 athletes in five sports, from 40 countries.

John Furlong, chief of the Paralympic organizing committee, says the event is about possibility -- not disability.