Spallumcheen wheelchair athlete inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame

Forrest in hall of fame

Photo: Contributed

Ina Forrest is being inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame.

Ina Forrest is being inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame.

The celebrated wheelchair curler will be inducted today.

The Spallumcheen resident has been a force on the global wheelchair curling scene since 2007.

Forrest has reached the podium in all four of her Paralympic Games appearances and was a member of Canada’s gold medal-winning team in 2010 and 2014. She added a bronze to her collection at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang and 2022 in Beijing.

She has competed at 14 straight wheelchair curling world championships and has claimed three world titles and two silver medals.

In 2023, she helped Canada win silver at the world championships.

“Canadians with disabilities make remarkable contributions in business, community life, sport and beyond,” said David Crombie, chair of the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame. “Equally, there are innovators whose groundbreaking work has opened doors to new possibilities. Our 2025 inductees embody both paths of achievement, carrying forward a proud tradition of impact and inclusion.”

Each year, a selection board reviews a roster of nominees and selects three individuals for induction into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame. With the Class of 2025, the Hall now showcases 132 Canadians.

In a post on the Canadian Paralympic Committee website, Forrest said “I will always remember when I received my first Team Canada jacket and the pride I felt to be representing Canada. Wearing the maple leaf and hearing the Canadian national anthem in competition is so much more emotionally charged than I ever anticipated. It is a swelling in your chest that threatens to bring on tears.”

She received the Top Canadian Female Athlete Award from the Canadian Paralympic Committee after the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia and in 2016 she was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame.

She was also the Canadian flag bearer for the opening ceremonies at the 2022 Beijing Paralympics.

Forrest was paralyzed at 21 years old when she was struck by a drunk driver.

The Canadian Disability Hall of Fame (CDHF) provides permanent recognition of outstanding Canadians who have made extraordinary contributions to enriching the quality of life for people with physical disabilities.

- with files from The Canadian Press