Halfway to LA28 Part 2: Canadian Para sport talent emerges in 2026

Photo: Chloe Dunbar with gold at Canadian championships with Sheriauna Haase (left) and Marissa Papaconstantinou

OTTAWA – At the Canadian Para table tennis championships in Brampton, Ont. earlier this month, a 15-year-old fourth seed marched to the gold medal in the standing division.

Jacob Boulay of Longueuil, Que. is among a growing number of Canadian Para athletes shining on the national and international stage since the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

While Boulay is probably targeting Brisbane 2032, other emerging Canadians have delivered performances that suggest a Paralympic debut at LA28 is a possibility.

And it’s not just teenagers. Late bloomers, including military veteran Daniel Comeau, are not only posting impressive results but also shaping remarkable stories through their unlikely journeys into high-performance sport.

That road to LA28 could include an important stop at the 2027 Parapan American Games in Lima. At those Games, Para athletes not only gain international experience but could potentially lock up quota spots for Canada for the 2028 Paralympics.

Last month, we highlighted five Canadians in team sports on the path to LA28. This week, here are five Canadian Para athletes, among many, hoping to make their Paralympic Games debuts in individual sports in 2028.

Chloe Dunbar, Windsor, N.S., Para athletics

At 17, Chloe Dunbar provides Canada with a dynamic 1-2 punch in the women’s T47 100m and 200m sprints in international competition.

At nationals in June, Dunbar upset Paralympian Sheriauna Haase, herself only 19, in the 100 and swept gold in both sprints with personal best times. A month later at the Commonwealth Games, Haase turned the tables with a national record as the Canadians placed 1-2.

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“It makes it so much better and so special,” said Dunbar about having Haase in her event. “I used to run with my prosthetic because I was nervous of what people would think in my image.

“Then I saw Sheriauna running without her arm and being confident with who she was. That has made me become the person I am today.”

Maarten Duif, Carleton Place, Ont., Para cycling

In this four-year lead-up to LA28, Maarten Duif has been a revelation for Canada in Para cycling. Last month, the handcyclist earned his first world championship medal with silver in the 55.2 kilometre H1 men’s road race.

That capped a season that saw him lead Canada with four medals across the two World Cup stops.

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“I set ambitious goals and it’s such a reality shock to come out with silver (at worlds). It hasn’t hit yet but it’s coming,” said Duif, who started handcycling in 2018.

Daniel Comeau, Shannon, Que., Para archery

Military veteran Daniel Comeau of Shannon, Que. has emerged as one of the world’s top Para archers since Paris 2024.

At the world championships last year, Comeau combined forces with Paralympian Kyle Tremblay of Deep River, Ont. for a remarkable fourth-place finish in the compound men’s open doubles wheelchair event in addition to a top Canadian individual placing at 17th.

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“It would be the culmination of all the hard work, not just in archery,” Comeau told La Presse about his Paralympic aspirations. “I’m doing it to show my children that anything is possible, that you should never give up and always keep pushing forward.”

Comeau was diagnosed with ALS in 2014.

Jagdev Gill, Brockville, Ont., Para swimming

Jagdev Gill added another milestone to his growing international résumé this summer, representing Canada at both the Commonwealth Games and the Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships.

The 21-year-old McGill University biochemistry and mathematics student, who has cerebral palsy, earned bronze in the men’s S10 100-metre butterfly at the Commonwealth Games.

The medal, along with the opportunity to compete as part of an integrated Canadian team in Glasgow, provided an additional boost.

“This is the first time I’ve been around the Olympic side of the Canadian program. It has been a great environment and is bringing our teamwork to another level,” he said.

Gill also owns a bronze medal from the 2023 Parapan American Games in Santiago and has reached finals at two world championships.

Joe Philpott, boccia, St. John’s N.L.

Eighteen-year-old Joe Philpott is turning heads in boccia with his precision, decision-making, and distinctive approach to delivering the ball.

Unlike many of his opponents in the BC1 category, Philpott uses his foot to make his throws.

‘’You might think he’s disadvantaged but by moving the ball from the ground he can generate more power,” said Joe’s father Paul Philpott. “That can be important especially in situations where you want to cause a turnover in ball possession.’’

A big highlight for Joe Philpott in 2026 was competing at his first World Boccia Challenger. He captured the bronze medal in the men’s BC1 individual event, his first podium on the international stage.

The Memorial University student also keeps everyone apprised of his unique journey in sport with his excellent social media posts.