Bridget will be representing Canada at the 2009 Special Olympic World Winter Games, hosted in Boise Idaho. Bridget and Team Canada will take to the world stage February 6 to 13, 2009 with as many as 3,000 athletes from 85 countries.

Qualification for the 2009 team is based on performance at the 2008 Special Olympics National Winter Games, which were held earlier this year in beautiful Quebec City. Selected athletes will compete in six of the seven sports, including alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, floor hockey, snowshoeing and speedskating.

Team BC sent 97 athletes to the games in Quebec. From the games, Bridget was one of 14 athletes who qualified from Team BC and will join Team Canada and 80 other athletes from across the country.

Bridget qualified in the sport of snowshoeing winning four medals (one gold, two silver and one bronze) at the National Games. In July 2008, Bridget and her training coach Debra Colvin attended a 4 day training camp in Toronto. The training camp provided the first opportunity for Team Canada coaches and athletes to meet each other as well as focused on fitness training, nutrition, physical and mental training, training diaries, and team building activities. Upon returning home, Bridget enthusiastically started her training for the upcoming games with goals of personal bests in her events and a trip or two to the podium!

When asked about her opportunity to represent her country, her province and hometown of Burnaby, Bridget replies, “It’s pretty neat.”

Please visit the SOBC Burnaby photo album for more pictures.