Ottawa, Ontario 15 March 2014
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement congratulating Mac Marcoux and guide Robin Fémy on winning a gold medal in the para-alpine men’s giant slalom (visually impaired) event, the Canadian wheelchair curling team for their gold medal victory, and the Canadian sledge hockey team on winning the bronze medal at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games:
“Mac Marcoux and Robin Fémy have won the gold in para-alpine men’s giant slalom (visually impaired), their third medal in these Paralympic Games. It is with great joy and pride that I extend my congratulations to these outstanding athletes. Canada is delighted to share in this success.
“I would also like to congratulate the Canadian wheelchair curling team on their gold medal-winning performance. These outstanding athletes have proven that they are indeed among the very best in this sport. From coast to coast to coast, Canadians applaud this tremendous achievement.
“This is the third consecutive gold medal for Canada in wheelchair curling, having previously won the gold in Vancouver 2010, as well as at the 2006 Games in Turin, the first year that wheelchair curling was introduced as a Paralympic sport.
“Congratulations also go to our Paralympic sledge hockey team. Their outstanding performance and team work, combined with perseverance and determination, have earned our country another well-deserved bronze medal. They are an inspiration and a source of great pride to us all.”
Mac Marcoux was born in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, where he currently resides. This is his third Paralympic medal in his first Paralympic Games, having won two bronze medals in para-alpine men’s downhill and men’s super-G (visually impaired) with guide Robin Fémy during these Games. Together with his older brother and guide, Billy Joe Marcoux, Mac Marcoux has attained the podium multiple times at IPC events in 2013, including a silver medal in giant slalom at the IPC World Championships in La Molina, Spain. He also won a gold medal, with guide Steven Fry, in super-G at the 2013 IPC World Cup in Mt. Hutt, New Zealand.
Robin Fémy was born in Saint-Martin-d’Hères, France, and now resides in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec. This is his third Paralympic medal in his first Paralympic Games, having won two bronze medals as the guide for Mac Marcoux in para-alpine men’s downhill and men’s super-G (visually impaired) during these Games. Mr. Fémy is a guide for Canadian para-alpine skier Chris Williamson and stood in as the guide for Mac Marcoux during these Games when Mr. Marcoux’s brother, Billy Joe, could not participate.
The members of the wheelchair curling team are Skip Jim Armstrong, Lead Sonja Gaudet, Second Dennis Thiessen, Third Ina Forrest, and Alternate Mark Ideson.
For more information on individual members of the Canadian wheelchair curling and sledge hockey teams, please visit http://www.paralympic.ca/athletes.
