Skip to content

Lumby Paralympian fifth in final Beijing race

Logan Leach and guide Julien Petit swoop down slalom course for top-five result
28447384_web1_220317-VMS-paralympics-thursday-FORREST_3
Lumby’s Logan Leach (right) and guide Julien Petit negotiate the Para Alpine men’s visually impaired giant slalom course Thursday, March 10, at the Beijing Paralympics. (Dave Holland Photo)

With every race save for one, Lumby’s Logan Leach and guide Julien Petit saw their results get better.

In his final visually impaired Para alpine event of the 2022 Beijing Paralympics Winter Games, Leach and Petit skied to a fifth-place finish in the slalom race.

Leach opened the Games with a ninth-place showing in the downhill, for which he was named Bell Performance of the Day, on the Canadian TV broadcast.

Next came the super giant slalom where the duo finished seventh. In the super combined event, Leach and Petit were sixth.

The only blip came in the second run of the giant slalom. After successfully completing the course in his opening run, Leach caught an edge and fell near the bottom of the course in the second run, sliding past Petit on his back, all the way to the finish line.

Leach, at 19, was Canada’s youngest Paralympic athlete in Beijing.

Spallumcheen’s Ina Forrest won a fourth straight Games medal in wheelchair curling, as she and her Canadian teammates defeated Slovakia in the bronze-medal match. China, who defeated Sweden for gold, beat Canada 11-5 in the semifinals.

Forrest has two gold and two bronze medals from her four Games’ appearances.

Canadian teammate Dennis Thiessen was Canada’s oldest medallist at the age of 60. Canada’s wheelchair curling bronze extended its podium streak to five consecutive Games.

Salmon Arm Para nordic skier Natalie Wilkie added a fourth medal just prior to the closing ceremonies, winning bronze with Canadian teammates in the mixed relay. Wilkie, at 21 Canada’s youngest medalist, won two gold, silver and bronze in Beijing.

OVERALL MEDAL TOTAL

Gold: 8 // Silver: 6 // Bronze: 11 // Total: 25

Canada finished third in the medal standings in Beijing behind China and Ukraine. With 25 medals, the 48 athletes who competed in Beijing have orchestrated the county’s second-best Paralympic Winter Games. Four years ago, Canada won 28 medals, its current record.

Canada’s Opening Ceremony flag bearers Forrest and Greg Westlake (Para ice hockey) won a bronze and silver in their respective team sports, while Closing Ceremony flag bearer Mollie Jepsen of West Vancouver (Para alpine skiing) comes home with two medals, a gold and silver

“I am so thrilled for each and every athlete who competed for Canada over the past nine days,” said Team Canada Chef de Mission, Vernon’s Josh Dueck. “This team has displayed so much heart, resiliency, and passion and it has been an honour to have the opportunity to witness so many incredible athletes compete and show off all the dedication and hard work they have put in to be the best at what they do.

“There is so much to celebrate for the entire Canadian Paralympic Team, from every podium performance to the personal bests to so many moments in between that have all combined to elevate, motivate, and unite Canadians and Paralympic sport. It has been a successful Paralympic Winter Games for Canada, and I congratulate all the athletes, coaches, and staff for all their work in making this possible.”

READ MORE: Vernon Vipers host Cranbrook

READ MORE: Police search for missing Vernon man

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Want to support local journalism? Make a donation here.

28447384_web1_220317-VMS-leach-forrest-LEACH_1
Spallumcheen’s Ina Forrest has her chair steadies by Canadian skip Dennis Thiessen as she delivers a stone during wheelchair curling at the Beijing Paralympics. Forrest picked up her fourth career Games medal as Canada won bronze. (Angela Burger Photo)