James Anseeuw Explained

James Anseeuw
Nickname:Jamie Anseeuw
Headercolor:red
Textcolor:white
Birth Date:16 September 1959
Birth Place:Oak Bluff, Manitoba, Canada
Country: Canada
Sport:Wheelchair curling
Turnedpro:2014
Show-Medals:yes

James Anseeuw (born September 16, 1959) is a Canadian Wheelchair curler. As the oldest Canadian Paralympic athlete, he helped Canada win a bronze medal at the 2018 Winter Paralympics in South Korea.

Early life

Anseeuw was born on September 16, 1959, in Oak Bluff, Manitoba, Canada.[1]

Career

In the 1990s, Anseeuw was a semi-professional snowmobile racer until he became paralyzed after a crash on March 27, 1999.[2] [3] At the time of the accident, Anseeuw was team manager for the Flying Canucks and Arctic Cat's Canadian Racing Coordinator.[4] Arctic Cat began a trust fund in his name,[5] and mentee Blair Morgan began raising money for spinal cord research.[6]

In 2014, Anseeuw was convinced to try wheelchair curling by Dennis Thiessen.[7] He trained with the Assiniboine Curling Club and competed with Team Manitoba at the 2014 Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship, where they finished in first place.[8] Three years later, he again won gold with Team Manitoba at the 2017 Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship.[9]

At the age of 58, Anseeuw was the oldest athlete selected to compete for Team Canada at the 2018 Winter Paralympics in South Korea.[10] The Canadian wheelchair curling team was eliminated in the semi-finals, which earned them a bronze medal.[11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jamie Anseeuw . curling.ca . February 5, 2020.
  2. News: Spectacular crash, finishes thrill 4, 200 at Assiniboia Downs. Bell. Jason. December 15, 2002. Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg.
  3. News: Two Manitoba Snowmobilers hurt in Calgary race. March 29, 1999. Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg.
  4. Web site: Castellanos . Vince . State of the sport: Snocross Who's hot to watch in 2000? . espn.com . February 5, 2020 . November 1999.
  5. Web site: Jamie Anseeuw Trust Funds Established . amsnow.com . February 5, 2020 . April 20, 1999.
  6. News: Nowacki . Jon . Duluth National Snocross: Paralyzed racer recounts his accident, recuperation . February 5, 2020 . Duluth News Tribune . November 30, 2008.
  7. Web site: James Anseeuw . paralympic.ca . February 5, 2020.
  8. Web site: MANITOBA WINS CANADIAN WHEELCHAIR CHAMPIONSHIP . curling.ca . February 5, 2020 . May 4, 2014.
  9. Web site: GOLD FOR MANITOBA AT CANADIAN WHEELCHAIR CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP . curling.ca . February 5, 2020 . April 30, 2017.
  10. Devin_Heroux. February 26, 2018. 968318543010856961. Wheelchair curler James Anseeuw is the oldest Canadian athlete at 58 while Para hockey player James Dunn is the youngest at 17..
  11. Web site: Macdonell . Laurie . TWO MANITOBAN'S PART OF BRONZE MEDAL PARALYMPIC CURLING TEAM . curlmanitoba.org . February 5, 2020 . March 20, 2018.