Karen Van Nest Explained

Karen Van Nest
Nationality:Canadian
Birth Date:September 29, 1962[1]
Birth Place:North Bay, Ontario, Canada[2]
Sport:
Event:Compound
Coach:Phil Henderson

Karen Van Nest (born September 29, 1962) is a Canadian Paralympic archer and shooter. She is a Parapan American Games medalist and has competed in six Paralympic Games.

Early life

Van Nest is originally from North Bay, Ontario.[3] At age 23, she lost her left leg in a motorcycle accident.

Career

Van Nest began shooting in 1996.[4] She qualified for Canada’s Paralympic team in 1998, placing fourth at the 2000 Paralympics. She finished fifth at the 2004 Paralympics and tenth at the 2008 Paralympics.[5] In 2006, she won a bronze medal at the world championships in rowing.

Van Nest began para archery in 2008, at the age of 46.[6] She switched from shooting to archery after she experienced problems with her right shoulder,[7] and made her Paralympic archery debut at the 2012 Summer Paralympics. At the 2014 Pan Am Championships she won bronze in the women's compound open and silver in mixed team.[8] She won silver at the 2015 Parapan American Games in women’s compound open, losing by eight points to Jane Karla Gögel of Brazil.[9] At the 2016 Summer Paralympics, Van Nest came fourth in the women's compound open.[10] Van Nest won gold in the women’s compound open at the 2017 Para Pan American Championships[11] and bronze in the same event at the Championships the following year.[12] She competed in archery at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.[13]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Athlete Profile. paralympic.org. 6 August 2017.
  2. Web site: World Archery Extranet. extranet.worldarchery.org. 6 August 2017.
  3. News: Cowan . Greg . 2021-07-29 . Van Nest selected to Team Canada for sixth Paralympic Games . 2024-08-11 . The Sun Times.
  4. Web site: Pilla welcomes Multi Olympic Sport Para Athlete, Karen Van Nest . 2024-08-12 . PILLA SPORT CANADA . en.
  5. Web site: 2015-08-10 . Van Nest hopes Games inspire Canadian kids . 2024-08-12 . Brampton Guardian . en.
  6. Web site: Kavanaugh . Brenna . 2021-08-27 . Canadian para archer Van Nest moves on from ranking round with confidence . 2024-08-12 . The Toronto Observer . en-CA.
  7. Web site: Karen Van Nest . August 6, 2017 . paralympic.ca.
  8. Web site: Karen Van Nest . 2024-08-12 . Canadian Paralympic Committee . en-US.
  9. Web site: Battersby . Sarah-Joyce . 2015-08-10 . Canadian archer Karen Van Nest takes Parapan Am Games silver despite jitters . 2024-08-12 . OurWindsor.ca . en.
  10. Web site: 2016-09-16 . Le parcours de l'archère Karen Van Nest s'arrête en huitièmes de finale . 2024-08-12 . Radio-Canada . fr-ca.
  11. Web site: 2017-05-08 . US men’s compound set new world record . 2024-08-11 . International Paralympic Committee.
  12. Web site: 2018-08-21 . European and Pan Am archery champions crowned . 2024-08-11 . International Paralympic Committee.
  13. Web site: 2021-07-27 . Para archer Karen Van Nest named to Tokyo 2020 Canadian Paralympic Team . 2024-08-12 . Canadian Paralympic Committee . en-US.