Ewert, Team Canada set for opening game at Paralympics in Paris

Joel Ewert’s ultimate dream is coming true this week at the Paralympic Games in Paris.

The 24-year-old wheelchair rugby player from Prince George is there with his family for the opening ceremonies (Wednesday, Aug. 28 at 10:30 a.m. PT).

On Thursday he and Team Canada will take on the second-ranked Americans in their opening game of the eight-team tournament.

People in Prince George will have to get up early to watch Ewert, wearing No. 30, live in action. The U.S.-Canada game starts at 4:30 a.m. PT, and will be streamed live on CBC.ca/paris2024.

The webcast is also available on the CBC Gem or CBC Paris apps. Taped coverage will also be shown on CBC TV, starting at 10 a.m. Thursday, with follow-up broadcasts starting at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Fifth-ranked Canada plays Germany on Friday (8:30 a.m. PT) and wraps up preliminary round play Saturday against Japan (8:30 a.m. PT.

Playoffs are scheduled for Sunday at 2:30, 4:30, 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. PT.

The bronze medal game will be played Monday at 4:30 a.m. PT, followed by the gold medal game at 10:30 a.m.

Former UNBC students Robert "Bo" Hedges of Wonowon and Kady Dandeneau of Pender Harbour are playing for Canada in wheelchair rugby.

Dandeneau, 34, played a starring role in her college basketball career for the UNBC Timberwolves from 2007-13 until her career as a standing athlete was cut short by a knee injury.

The Canadian women will play their Paralympics opener Thursday at 9:15 a.m. PT against China. They also face Great Britain (Saturday, 1:30 p.m.) and Spain (Sunday, 12:30 p.m.) before the playoff round.

The women’s medal games are scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 8 at 1:30 p.m. (bronze) and 4:55 p.m. (gold).

The 47-year-old Hedges, who was born in Fort St. John, is one of the captains for Canada’s men’s team.

They open Friday at 9:15 a.m. against France. Canada will also play Great Britain (Saturday, 3:45 p.m., and Germany (Monday, 10:15 a.m.), with playoffs to follow Tuesday-Thursday.

The men’s bronze game is set for Saturday, Sept. 7 at 7 a.mn., followed by the gold match at 12:30 p.m.

Canada has sent 126 athletes who will compete in 18 sports over the next 11 days.

In total, the Paralympics involve 4,400 athletes in 23 sports.