Canada's Wheelchair Curlers Post Historic 9-0 Record

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy — Canada's wheelchair curling team made history Thursday by completing the Paralympic round-robin with a perfect 9-0 record, the first undefeated performance in the event's history since its debut in 2006.

The milestone came with back-to-back victories on Thursday at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games. In the morning session, the Canadians defeated South Korea 6-3, securing the top seed for the playoffs. Later that evening, they beat the United States 7-3, clinching North American rivalry while eliminating the Americans from medal contention. The team, skipped by Mark Ideson of London, Ontario, and featuring vice-skip Jon Thurston of Dunsford, Ontario, second Ina Forrest of Spallumcheen, British Columbia, lead Collinda Joseph of Ottawa, and alternate Gilbert Dash of Kipling, Saskatchewan, advanced to Friday's semifinals against fourth-place South Korea.

The win over South Korea was a tense affair. Canada built a 4-1 lead after four ends, but the Koreans narrowed the gap to 4-3 by the sixth through a precise double takeout by skip Bong Kwang Nam. Ideson responded with a draw to the button in the seventh, though it undercurled slightly,...