Three Para canoe athletes named to Team Canada ahead of Paris Paralympics
All three are heading to their second Paralympic Games.
Three athletes – Brianna Hennessy, Erica Scarff, and Mathieu St-Pierre – were nominated to represent Canada in the sport of Para canoe at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on Monday.
All three athletes are going to the Paralympics for their second time in their sporting careers, after Hennessy and St-Pierre competed at Tokyo 2020 and Scarff went to Rio 2016.
Both Hennessy and Scarff reached the podium at the 2023 Para Canoe World Championships. Hennessy earned a silver medal in the women’s VL2 200m and bronze in the KL1 200m, while Scarff finished second in the women’s VL3 200m. Both results secured Paralympic quota spots for Canada.
Last month at the 2024 World Championships, Hennessy picked up another silver medal in the VL2 event, and Scarff was fourth in the VL3.
“I am so excited for my second Paralympic Games,” said Hennessy in a press release. “Our team has been working extremely hard to become a medal potential for these Games. I hope that we can make our country proud and bring home some shiny hardware! I can’t wait to wear the Canadian flag with the utmost pride!”
“We are in our final push towards Paris and there is lots of preparation still ahead,” added Scarff. “I am looking forward to showcasing our hard work and enjoying our Paralympic moment!”
St-Pierre earned Canada’s third Paralympic quota spot at the 2024 World Championships after finishing seventh in the men’s VL2 200m.
“For an athlete, participating in the Paralympic Games is the pinnacle of their career,” said St-Pierre in a press release. “It is truly an honour to be able to compete for your country and to give everything in order to bring back a medal. It is also an opportunity to show all those who have made sacrifices for us that with their support we can achieve the ultimate goal!”
Para canoe is contested in two different boats. K classes race in kayaks, and V classes race in va’a, a canoe with a support float. Hennessy will compete in both the women’s VL2 and KL1 200m events, while Scarff will compete in the women’s VL3 200m race. St-Pierre will race in the men’s VL2 200m event.
Para canoe events will take place from September 6-8 at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium in Paris. September 6th will feature the heats, with the semifinals and finals coming on the two following days.
Canada has not won a Paralympic medal in the sport, which debuted at Rio 2016.
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