JILLIAN MACSWEEN
WOMEN'S GOALBALL
Name: Jillian MacSween
Age: 20
Hometown: Halifax, N.S.
Club: Bytown Scourge Goalball Club, Ottawa.
Alma mater: W. Ross MacDonald in Brantford, Ont.
Sport: Women's goalball.
Background: MacSween went to Sacred Heart in Halifax before leaving for her Grade 11 year at W. Ross MacDonald, a school for the visually impaired. While there, her grandfather encouraged her to start playing in 2009 and quickly rose to the elite level and was a member of Team Canada by 2010. Her parents are Janice and Russell MacSween. MacSween attends Algonquin College in Ottawa.
Accomplishments: MacSween was a member of gold medal-winning team at the 2011 IBSA World Championships and Games in Turkey and helped Canada earn a bronze medal at the 2011 Parapan American Games in Guadalajara. She also competed in the 2010 World Championships and has earned the Courage Canada Scholarship.
On going to the Olympics: MacSween is the backup centre to Amy Kneebone and takes her role as seriously as if she was a starter. "I work just as hard as Amy because my role is work hard in practice to make her better. We need her to be the best she can be and me doing that makes the team better. I hope I'm making her work hard. She makes me work, that's for sure. My goal is to be as good as her."
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PAUL TINGLEY
SAILING 2.4m CLASS
Name: Paul Tingley
Age: 32
Hometown: Halifax
Club: Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron.
Alma mater: Halifax West High School and Saint Mary's University.
Sport: Sailing, 2.4m class
Background: Tingley, who lived in Victoria, B.C., for eight years, was paralyzed in a skiing accident at the age of 24. Tingley has appeared in a series of ads promoting Paralympic "super athletes" and in one of them Tingley is dubbed "The Gambler" because of his knack for for taking risks that pay off. Tingley has spent long hours on the water with seven-time world champion Stellan Berlin of Sweden in England. Tingley says getting used to the conditions in Weymouth will prepare him well for the Games.
Accomplishments: Tingley is a two-time Olympic medalist. He earned a bronze medal as a member of the Canadian Sonar team in Sydney in 2000 and a gold in the solo 2.4 metre event in Beijing in 2008.
On going to the Olympics: Tingley is striving for another gold but is not resting on his laurels. "I take all that pressure off myself; it doesn't really help me anyway. I'm excited, but I'm not taking anything for granted and I'm working my butt off." Tingley expects the Sept. 1-6 event to be a test of endurance and the winner will be the person who can keep their wits about them. "It's going to test the equipment and everybody's ability to manage the big waves and the wind."
