Cross Country Canada

At the mere age of 17, Natalie Wilkie – the youngest member of the Canadian Paralympic Team – stood atop the podium at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. “That was pretty crazy. I didn’t believe it at first, I was only 17 and this is my first Paralympics. I just went into the race determined to do my best and see what happens. It was pretty emotional winning gold just 18 months after my accident.” Wilkie had been skiing since she was a small child in Salmon Arm, B.C., but after she lost four fingers in a shop class accident she had to learn to ski with one pole. She attended her first Para nordic training camp in November 2016. “A lot of the camps have been paid for by NextGen (funding) and that’s been really important,” she said. “It’s been paying for a lot of camps and races and equipment, new boots, skis, poles, so that’s been really good. Most of the camps are in Canmore so I have to drive there or fly there and that can get pretty expensive.” Wilkie attributes her success to team support. The fact she was able to train alongside her experienced teammates during her short transition to para sport before the Paralympic Games made a huge difference. “My coaches and fellow athletes have been so supportive of me. Just being able to go to these camps and ski with these amazing athletes has been an amazing experience.”