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
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.