Para-rowers Ready for Tokyo 2020 Paralympics
News/ Aug 23

Para-rowers Ready for Tokyo 2020 Paralympics


A jam-packed summer of elite sports action continues this week as the Paralympic Games kick off in Tokyo, Japan. The Paralympic rowing regatta will run from Aug. 26-28 for those watching in Canada, and the Canadian rowers will hope to build off their success from the 2016 Paralympics in Rio De Janeiro. At those Games, the para-rowers won the first ever medal for Canada at a Paralympics, bringing home the bronze in the PR3 mixed coxed four category.

Canada will send two boats to Tokyo to compete in the fourth Paralympic rowing regatta in history, the PR3 mixed coxed four and the mixed double sculls. The PR3 mixed coxed four crew (Kyle Fredrickson, Bayleigh Hooper, Victoria Nolan, Andrew Todd, and coxswain Laura Court) earned their spot in Tokyo with a victory in the final Paralympic qualification event in Italy in June, while the mixed double sculls duo of Jessye Brockway and Jeremy Hall were awarded a Bipartite invitation slot after narrowly missing qualifying in June.

A total of four boat classes will compete at the Paralympics, with the PR1 men’s and women’s single sculls rounding out the competition. A total of 96 rowers will compete at the Paralympics from 24 different countries from across the world. Four of the Canadian rowing team’s seven rowers are from Ontario.

Here’s a look at the rowers with Ontario ties who will be competing for Canada at the Paralympic Games:

Bayleigh Hooper
1st Paralympic Games
Hometown: Chatsworth, Ont.
Club Affiliation: Peterborough Rowing Club
Event: PR3 Mixed Coxed Four
Career Highlights: 4th place, PR3Mix4+ – 2018 World Rowing Championships

Victoria Nolan
4th Paralympic Games
Hometown: Toronto, Ont.
Club Affiliation: Victoria City Rowing Club / Bayside Rowing Club
Event: PR3 Mixed Coxed Four
Career Highlights: 3rd Place, PR3Mix4+ – 2016 Paralympics, 6th place, PR3Mix4+ – 2008 Paralympics, 7th place, PR3Mix4+ – 2012 Paralympics, Four-time World Championship medalist (1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze)

Andrew Todd
2nd Paralympic Games
Hometown: Thunder Bay, Ont.
Club Affiliation: North Star Rowing Club / Ottawa Rowing Club
Event: PR3 Mixed Coxed Four
Career Highlights: 3rd Place, PR3Mix4+ – 2016 Paralympics, three-time World Championship medalist (2 gold, 1 bronze)

Laura Court (coxswain)
1st Paralympic Games
Hometown: St. Catharines, Ont.
Club Affiliation: St. Catharines Rowing Club
Event: PR3 Mixed Coxed Four
Career Highlights: 4th place, PR3Mix4+ – 2018 World Rowing Championships, Two U23 World Championship Gold Medals in BW8+ (2017, 2018)

For more information on the Paralympic rowing regatta, visit World Rowing.


Photo’s are property of Rowing Canada Aviron.