MONTREAL – Two Canadians have the chance to make history as they head to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to compete in the first-ever paracanoeing event at the 2016 Paralympic Games.
Christine Gauthier of Pointe-Claire, Que., and Erica Scarff of Toronto, Ont., were nominated to the Games after winning their respective races at the Sprint Canoe Kayak Team Trials in Montreal.
READ MORE: Canada’s 2016 Rio Olympic, Paralympic uniforms stick with tradition
Gauthier, 45, is a five-time world champion, including winning gold at the 2010 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Poznań, Poland.
She has a degenerative condition that affects her knees, hips, neck and back after she suffered serious injuries during her time in the military.
READ MORE: Young Moncton swimmer has her eyes on competing in Rio Paralympics
Scarff’s leg was amputated when she was 12-years-old after being diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer.
She was previously a competitive gymnast, collecting numerous medals and trophies.
This is the first Paralympic Games for both athletes.
READ MORE: Noah’s Ark replica to sail from Netherlands to Rio in time for 2016 Paralympics
Both the paracanoe and paratriathlon events will debut at this year’s Games.
The Paralympics run from Sept. 7 to 18, 2016.