Jillian
Macsween

Jillian MacSween started playing goalball in 2009 and quickly rose to the elite level in 2010. Her grandfather inspired her to get involved in goalball at her high school where the sport was offered for students with a visual impairment.

Sport has helped MacSween fulfill a dream; to her it represents the love of competition. Her greatest moment so far was winning the gold medal in Turkey at the 2011 IBSA World Championships and Games, which allowed her team to qualify for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

MacSween also competed in the 2010 World Goalball Championships and was a member of the Canadian women’s goalball teams that won bronze medals at both the 2011 and 2015 Parapan American Games. The result at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games earned Canada a berth at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Bob Mannen and Janice Dawson are two people who have influenced her throughout her sport career. Her motto to live by is, “You can always be better.”

In 2011, MacSween won the National Courage Canada Scholarship, which is awarded annually to one secondary school graduating blind student in Canada looking to further their education.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2011 and 2015 Parapan American Games…2012 and 2016 Paralympic Games… 2010 World Championships…

PERSONAL

Graduated from W. Ross Macdonald School in 2008… Studying early childhood education at George Brown College in Toronto.

NOTABLE INTERNATIONAL RESULTS

2018 World Championships 4th

2016 Paralympic Games 6th

2015 Parapan American Games 3rd

2015 World Championships 3rd

2012 Paralympic Games 5th 

2011 Parapan American Games 3rd