Vernon's Sonja Gaudet inducted into the Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame

Hall of fame for Gaudet

Photo: International Paralympic Committee

Vernon's Sonja Gaudet has been inducted into the Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame.

It has been a big week for North Okanagan curlers.

Spallumcheen wheelchair curler Ina Forrest was inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame while Sonja Gaudet was inducted into the Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame Wednesday.

Gaudet, who calls Vernon home, has a perfect record at the Paralympic games winning gold in 2006 in Torino, Italy, 2010 in Vancouver and 2014 in Sochi, Russia.

She was also the Canadian Flag bearer for the 2014 Winter Paralympics.

Gaudet represented Canada at eight world wheelchair championships and was crowned world champion in 2009 in Vancouver, in 2011 in Prague and in 2013 in Sochi, Russia.

Gaudet was awarded the Order of Sport in 2020, marking her induction into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. She was the first wheelchair curler inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.

In a post on the Canadian Paralympic Committee website, Gaudet said the HOF induction “is an incredible honour; one I take to heart and hold with great respect.

“My career as a Para athlete, competing alongside my teammates at the Paralympic Games and world championships, has given me some of the most impactful, memorable, and influential experiences of my life. Sport has always been a powerful tool for me, one that has helped carry and guide me through life’s difficult times. I am sincerely thankful to all who have supported me throughout my Paralympic journey.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to represent Canada and the sport of wheelchair curling, and to be part of a movement that has the power to create change and make a meaningful and lasting difference. I will continue to champion Para sport and the Paralympic Movement as powerful vehicles for transforming lives, shifting perceptions, and advancing inclusion and accessibility across communities in Canada and around the world.”