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Local athlete part of medal winning Canadian team at worlds

Mar 7, 2020 | 5:07 PM

A North Okanagan athlete has helped Canada get back on the podium at the World Wheelchair Championship for the first time since 2013.

Ina Forrest of Armstrong helped her Canadian team win the silver medal in Wetzikon, Switzerland.

Her team with Mark Ideson of London, Ont. (throwing lead stones), Jon Thurston of Dunsford, Ont. (fourth stones), Dennis Thiessen of Sanford, Man., alternate Collinda Joseph of Stittsville, Ont., coach Wayne Kiel of Balgonie, Sask., and assistant coach Mick Lizmore of Edmonton, fell 5-4 to Russia’s Konstantin Kurokhtin in the battle for gold.

It was the first time on the podium for Canada since 2013 in Sochi, Russia, where Canada won gold.

Current team members Forrest, Ideson and Thiessen were all members of the 2013 gold medal rink for skip Jim Armstrong, as well as being members of the Canadian team that won bronze at the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang.

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