This Regina athlete is heading to the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo
Jessica Frotten has been through a whirlwind two weeks, after finding out she will represent Canada at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo later this month.
Frotten is one of 16 making the trip with Team Canada’s wheelchair racing team. She’s been training to complete in the 400 metre, 800 metre, 1,500 metre and 4x100 universal relay.
“I’m so proud about making this team, I’ve been working so hard, but it’s also the strangest Olympics in history,” Frotten told CTV News.
She began training as a wheelchair racer in 2015. Frotten did not qualify for the Olympics in Rio, making this her first Olympic appearance.
Given the small team size, Frotten said this was one of the most difficult years to make the team in its history.
Her coach said that although the last 18 months have challenged every athlete, Frotten took the opportunity to push herself even further.
“We didn’t have the opportunity to train together through the winter, so she was fairly reliant on [herself],” Rick Reelie, Frotten’s coach said. “She jumped it up a couple of notches in her training and you can really see that when she gets a chance to perform.”
While Frotten is “over the moon” about qualifying, she wishes that her family and friends could be there to support her.
“I know that my family and friends across Canada will be staying up really late and getting up really early and screaming at their TVs,” she said.
Born and raised in the Yukon, Frotten moved to Regina for what was, at the time, Canada’s first spinal cord injury recovery centre. It was there she says her life changed as she regained a lot of function, and was eventually introduced to the world of adaptive sports.
“I’ve really been taken in by the whole sports community and it’s amazing I can’t wait to get out there and put on that Canada jersey,” Frotten said.
The Paralympics begin on Aug. 24, with Frotten making her debut on Aug. 28.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.