9 Canadian Winter Paralympians Who Have Totally Different Jobs When They're Not Competing
Graphic designers, skydiving instructors and more! 🇨🇦
James Dunn at the Beijing Paralympics. Right: Christina Picton.
Team Canada is proudly representing at the 2022 Beijing Paralympics, and some of the athletes have such different jobs when they aren't performing on the international stage.
Here are just a few examples of what the competitors get up to when they're not making us proud at the Games.
Christina Picton
The Athlete: Christina Picton
The Sport: Para Nordic skiing
The Side Hustle: Picton works full-time as a graphic designer and has contributed to the community by creating logos for many Para sports organizations.
The 29-year-old hails from Fonthill, Ontario, and has been involved in parasports since she was 11 years old.
Rod Crane
The Athlete: Rod Crane
The Sport: Para ice hockey
The Side Hustle: Crane works as an activationist at a nursing home and retirement residence in Thornbury, Ontario.
He won silver medals at the 2019 and 2021 IPC World Championships and also ranks nationally as a Para alpine sit skier.
Brittany Hudak
The Athlete: Brittany Hudak
The Sport: Para Nordic skiing
The Side Hustle: As well as athletics, Hudak has worked as a youth and family support worker in Calgary during the pandemic.
She has a bachelor's degree in social work from the University of Regina and won a bronze medal at PyeongChang in 2018.
Tyler Turner
The Athlete: Tyler Turner
The Sport: Para snowboard
The Side Hustle: Turner does public speaking, works as a snowcat operator, does skydive instruction and competes in surfing.
He also lives on a sailboat with his girlfriend!
James Dunn
The Athlete: James Dunn
The Sport: Para ice hockey
The Side Hustle: When he's not tearing it up on the ice, Dunn works as a website administrator.
He competed in the 2018 Paralympics where he won a silver medal, and he's also a cancer survivor.
Adam Kingsmill
The Athlete: Adam Kingsmill
The Sport: Para ice hockey
The Side Hustle: Kingsmill studies athletic therapy at Mount Royal University in Calgary and previously interned for the Calgary Flames.
He posted on Insta about the opening ceremony in Beijing, captioning it, "I have no words… just proud to be Canadian."
Lyne-Marie Bilodeau
The Athlete: Lyne-Marie Bilodeau
The Sport: Para Nordic skiing
The Side Hustle: Bilodeau studies at Massage and Orthotherapy Academy in Gatineau, Quebec.
She also won three golds at the 2019 Canada Winter Games!
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.