At 13, Chantal lost the use of both legs in an accident. She began swimming, then switched to wheelchair athletics. She was the outstanding athletics performer in the 2004 Athens Paralympics with five wheelchair gold medals – winning every race in which she competed – and breaking four world records, six Paralympic records and four Canadian records.
She was chosen to carry the Canadian flag at the closing ceremony and in December 2004 received Canada’s Meritorious Service Medal.
She also won three golds and a bronze at the 2002 World Championships and a gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, achievements for which she was nominated for the 2003 Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award.
For the last ten years, Chantal has been the official spokesperson for the “Defi Sportif” – a multi-disability sporting event that encourages children with a disability to get active. Her work with the Defi involves not only promotions, but also meeting and inspiring the children and building relationships with the event’s corporate partners.
