Canada’s curlers 1st team announced for the Paralympic Winter Games

The first Canadian team for the Paralympics Winter Games in Milan Cortina is all set as five wheelchair curlers were nominated on Monday, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and Curling Canada announced.

The team will consist of Gilbert Dash (Kipling, Sask.); Ina Forrest (Spallumcheen, B.C.); Mark Ideson (London, Ont.); Collinda Joseph (Ottawa) and Jon Thurston (Dunsford, Ont.)

Canada is the only nation to have reached the podium in each wheelchair curling competition since the sport made its debut at the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games.

Four members – Forrest, Ideson, Joseph, and Thurston – are returning from Canada’s bronze-medal winning squad at the Beijing 2022 Games.

Ideson, making his fourth Paralympic appearance, will be skipping the team for the third straight Games. He holds three medals – one gold and two bronze.

“Representing Canada at my fourth Paralympic Games is an incredible opportunity,” said Ideson. “I’m lucky to be part of such an amazing group of athletes and staff, and we’re ready to take on the best teams in the world. Competing in such a historic venue will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and knowing we'll have friends, family, and fans back in the stands makes it feel even more special.”

Forrest, also a co-captain of the Milano Cortina 2026 Canadian Paralympic Team, will be competing at her fifth Paralympic Winter Games, where she's one two gold, two bronze.

“The opportunity to represent Canada at the Paralympics is an athlete’s dream,” said Forrest. “There’s never a guarantee you’ll get to live that dream again, so each of my Paralympic experiences is something I truly treasure. This one is especially meaningful — I missed qualifying for the Torino 2006 team, which was a huge disappointment