CurlingZone: Canada secures gold at the 2026 Paralympic Games

CORTINA d'AMPEZZO, Italy -- Team Canada claimed gold at the mixed team wheelchair curling competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games on Saturday afternoon with a 4-3 victory over Team China. Photo: Canadian Paralympic Committee / Angela Burger

Skip Mark Ideson (London, Ont.); vice-skip/third Jon Thurston (Dunsford, Ont.); second Ina Forrest (Spallumcheen, B.C.); lead Collinda Joseph (Ottawa); fifth Gilbert Dash (Kipling, Sask.); and coaches Mick Lizmore and Dana Ferguson completed an undefeated run in Cortina.

The game came down to the final rock with the final few seconds of Canada's clock winding down. Staring down a threatening Chinese stone, Ideson made a draw that appeared to just slightly outcount his opposition. After a missed tap-back by Chinese skip Haitao Wang, the Canadians thought the gold was theirs.

With no definitive answer and the Canadian clock running down, Ideson opted to throw his final rock. There were three seconds left after the stone left Ideson's stick in a shot that looked rushed despite his calm demeanor. Anticipation was at an all-time high watching that last stone travel down the ice, but his tap back was perfect and made the win clear to everyone watching.

"It was really hard to communicate with a time crunch and the noise of the venue," said Thurston. "But thankfully, Mark threw a pistol and was able to tap us in to make sure we were shot to win the gold. Mark just did it all week for us. He was a great leader, and I'm super proud of him and this whole team, and it's super special."

The game went into the eighth end tied at 3-3. Trouble with the ice for the first few stones left a Canadian-dominated crowd at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium on the edge of their seats.

The game that preceded the final three stones was too tight to call. While the first half was very close, the second half saw lots of rocks in play and required precise shot-making to score. Following two great shots by Joseph, the seventh end saw lots of traffic piling up around the button. Thurston made a perfect tap-back to move both Chinese stones out of scoring position and sit one. He threw the same shot with his second stone to sit three Canadian stones.

The Chinese third Mingliang Zhang responded with a fantastic hit and roll to open up the house and lay one. With the chance to put the first multiple points of the game on the board, Wang was too wide on his draw and finished the end with a single.

"It was definitely a tight game with everybody wanting it over each other and only getting one point an end," said Forrest, who just became the most decorated wheelchair curler in history. "We knew that any one shot could be the breakout shot. It could be a score of more than one, which makes it a little bit difficult with such a good team as China, who are such great hitters."

Team China finished the round robin with an 8-1 record; its only loss was at the hands of the Canadians. Team Canada bested the Chinese team 9-4 on Tuesday evening in seven ends in a very strong performance.

Canada is the only country to podium at every Paralympics in wheelchair curling since it was introduced in 2006. The 2026 win marks the fourth gold medal for Canada and the sixth overall.

"It's validating for all the hard work that's gone in the last 12 years," said Ideson. "Not just by the members on the team but also the staff behind the scenes and friends and family that have sacrificed lots of time for us to be on the road. It's tough, but it's all worth it for this moment."

Mark Ideson was selected to be one of two flag bearers representing Canada at the closing ceremony on Sunday.

Team Canada was supported all week by team leader Kyle Paquette; team physiotherapist Sari Shatil; team physician Dr. Steven Macaluso; performance science lead Kyle Turcotte; family and friends coordinator Wendy Morgan; and countless friends, family, and fans.

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