Para sport Notebook: CPC mourns passing of three-time Paralympian Hal Merrill

FREDERICTON – The Canadian Paralympic Committee mourns the passing of three-time Paralympian Hal Merrill who died last week. He was 60.

A three-time Paralympic Games bronze medallist in Para athletics from Charter’s Settlement, N.B., Merrill was also known as a great ambassador for the Paralympic Movement and for Canadians with a disability, especially in his home province.

He was inducted into the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame in 2012 and was the province’s male athlete of the year in 1996 and 2000.

“He just never went around ‘why me? Why me?’ and it actually, in his own words, made his life better because it got him into sports,” said his wife Tracey Merrill to the Telegraph-Journal.

Merrill won bronze medals in shot put and javelin at the 1992 Paralympics, a third bronze in shot put in Atlanta four years later. He also competed at Sydney 2000 where he posted fifth place finishes in the javelin and discus.

“He was always giving back to the community,’’ said Sally Hutt, executive director of Para Sport NB.

Merrill was a 10-year national team member and won 12 international medals overall in his career. He broke world records three times.

Born in Fredericton, Merrill grew up in New Maryland. He was injured in a car crash at age 15.

The CPC extends its condolences to his family and friends.

Eriksson and Smith lead three medal tally for Canada at Para alpine World Cup Final

Kalle Eriksson (Kimberley, BC), and guide Sierra Smith (Ottawa, ON) took gold in the men’s vision impaired category Saturday at the Para alpine skiing World Cup final in Veysonnaz, Switzerland.

Sunday’s slalom race was postponed. The two slalom races are now set for Monday and Tuesday.

Also on the podium Saturday were Alexis Guimond (Gatineau, QC) and Mollie Jepsen (West Vancouver, BC) with bronze in men’s and women’s standing.

Eriksson and Smith, trailed by 0.36 seconds after the first run, but delivered the fastest second run by almost a full second for their second GS win this season and the fourth of their career.

They placed third in the overall GS season standings for the category.
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Paralympian Neil Johnson inducted into Volleyball Canada’s Hall of Fame

Volleyball Canada announced its inductees into its Hall of Fame and it includes Paralympian Neil Johnson of Toronto.

Johnson’s impact on volleyball extends beyond the court. Born missing his left forearm, He became a dominant force for Canada’s men’s standing volleyball team. He led them to a silver medal at the 2000 Paralympics and captained Canada to three consecutive world championship gold in 2002, 2004 and 2006. The 2002 and 2003 teams were inducted as a whole into VC’s Hall of Fame.

He was one of the few disabled players to compete at the highest levels of able-bodied volleyball.[4] He played for the varsity teams at Mount Royal University in Calgary and the University of Calgary. He also played pro in Bonn, Germany in 2004.

Johnson currently runs his own communications and marketing agency Laird NRC.