Natalie Wilkie
Personal information
NationalityCanadian
Born (2001-01-21) January 21, 2001 (age 23)
Sport
Country Canada
SportPara Nordic skiing (Para cross-country skiing)
Disability classLW8
Medal record
Women's para cross-country skiing
Representing  Canada
Winter Paralympics
Gold medal – first place 2022 Beijing 15 km classical standing
Gold medal – first place 2022 Beijing 1.5km sprint standing
Gold medal – first place 2018 Pyeongchang 7.5km classic standing
Silver medal – second place 2018 Pyeongchang 4 × 2.5km mixed relay
Silver medal – second place 2022 Beijing 10 km free standing
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Pyeongchang 1.5km sprint classic standing
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Beijing 4 × 2.5km mixed relay

Natalie Wilkie (born January 21, 2001) is a Canadian Paralympic cross-country skier. As the youngest member of Team Canada at the 2018 Winter Paralympic Games, Wilkie won gold, silver, and bronze medals at the PyeongChang, South Korea games.[1]

Career

Wilkie began training and competing in able-bodied cross-country skiing when she was 4 years old, growing up near the Larch Hills Cross Country Ski Area near Salmon Arm, BC, Canada.

In June 2016, as a Grade 9 student at Salmon Arm Secondary School, Wilkie lost four fingers on her left hand in an accident involving a jointer during a school woodworking class. She resumed training with her able-bodied ski club only two weeks after the accident.[2]

Wilkie was introduced to para cross-country skiing at a camp in Canmore, Alberta in November 2016. Today, she competes nationally in Canada in both Paralympic cross-country skiing[3] using a single ski pole and in able-bodied cross-country skiing using two ski poles.

Wilkie was designated the “CTV Athlete of the Week” on December 18, 2017.[4]

In February 2018, Wilkie was selected as the youngest member of the PyeongChang 2018 Canadian Paralympic Team.[1] At the 2018 Winter Paralympic Games, at the age of 17, she won a gold medal in the Women's 7.5 km Classic, Standing, a silver medal in the 4x2.5 Mixed Relay, a bronze medal in the Women's 1.5 km Sprint Classic, Standing, and placed sixth in the Women's 15 km Free, Standing.[5][6][7][8][9]

At the 2019 World Para Nordic Skiing Championships held in Prince George, Canada, Wilkie won silver medals in the Women's Long C, Standing and Mixed Relay events. She also earned 4th place finishes in the Women's Sprint F, Standing and Women's Middle F, Standing events.[10][11][12][13][14] At the Sapporo 2019 World Para Nordic Skiing World Cup held in March 2019, Wilkie won a gold medal in the Women's Short C, Standing and a silver medal in the Women's Middle F, Standing events.[15][16]

References

  1. ^ a b "Fifty-five athletes named to Canadian Paralympic Team for PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games". Paralympic.ca. February 26, 2018. Archived from the original on March 10, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  2. ^ "Paralympic gold is just the beginning for Canadian teen Natalie Wilkie". CBC Sports. March 17, 2018. Archived from the original on April 5, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  3. ^ "Paralympics Canada - Natalie Wilkie". Paralympic.ca. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  4. ^ "Natalie Wilkie CTV Athlete of the Week". cccski.com. December 18, 2017. Archived from the original on April 5, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  5. ^ "Athlete Profile - Natalie WILKIE". Pyeongchang2018.com. Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  6. ^ "Paralympian Natalie Wilkie races to the podium". Sicamous Eagle Valley News. March 14, 2018. Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  7. ^ "Salmon Arm Paralympian Natalie Wilkie races to the podium - Kelowna Capital News". Kelowna Capital News. March 14, 2018. Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  8. ^ "Natalie Wilkie awarded her 1st career Paralympic medal". CBC Sports. Archived from the original on March 14, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  9. ^ "Paralympic gold is just the beginning for Canadian teen Natalie Wilkie". CBC Sports. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  10. ^ "Prince George 2019, Results - Women Long C,Standing - Final 1". Paralympic.org. Archived from the original on February 25, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  11. ^ "Prince George 2019, Results - Mixed Relay". Paralympic.org. Archived from the original on February 25, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  12. ^ "Prince George 2019, Results - Women Middle F, Standing - Final 1". Paralympic.org. Archived from the original on February 25, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  13. ^ "Prince George 2019, Event Overview - Women Sprint F, Standing". Paralympic.org. Archived from the original on February 25, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  14. ^ "Natalie Wilkie wins two silver medals in World Para Nordic Championships". Salmon Arm Observer. February 26, 2019. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019.
  15. ^ "Sapporo 2019 World Para Nordic Skiing World Cup, Results - Women Short C,Standing - Final 1". Paralympic.org. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  16. ^ "Sapporo 2019 World Para Nordic Skiing World Cup, Results - Women Middle F,Standing - Final 1". Paralympic.org. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2019.

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