Ruth Sylvie Morel (born September 2, 1956)[1] is a Canadian Paralympic wheelchair fencer.

Sylvie Morel
Personal information
Birth nameRuth Sylvie Morel
Born (1956-09-02) September 2, 1956 (age 67)
Home townPincourt, Quebec, Canada
Sport
SportWheelchair fencing
Disability classA

Career

edit

At the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, Morel was the first Canadian to compete in Paralympic-level wheelchair fencing. She placed 10th in épée and 11th in foil.[2] She qualified for the 2004 Summer Paralympics but was not selected by Canada to compete.[3]

At the 2011 International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS) Wheelchair Fencing Americas Championships, Morel won gold in women's A épée, which qualified her for the 2012 Summer Paralympics.[4] At the 2012 Paralympic games, she placed 12th in épée.[2]

Morel won gold in women's A épée and silver in women's A foil at the 2015 IWAS Wheelchair Fencing Americas Championships.[4] She missed out on qualifying for the 2016 Summer Paralympics by four points.[5] At the 2018 North American Cup in Milwaukee, Morel won gold in women's sabre and bronze in women's foil.[6]

Morel was the oldest Canadian Paralympian to compete at the 2020 Paralympic Games.[3][2] She placed 14th in sabre, her Paralympic sabre debut,[5] and 15th in foil.

At the 2022 IWAS Wheelchair Fencing Americas Championships, Morel won gold in the women's sabre category A.[7] At the 2023 IWAS Pan Am championships, Morel, on a team with Amber Briar and Trinity Lowthian, won bronze in the women's épée team event.[8] At the 2024 IWAS Wheelchair Fencing Americas Championships, Briar, Lowthian, and Morel again won bronze in the women's épée team event.[9]

Going into the 2024 Summer Paralympics, Morel was ranked 21st in the women's category A sabre.[10] She has said the 2024 Paralympics will be her last.[10]

Personal life

edit

After a car accident in 1993, Morel had her right leg amputated below the knee.[3]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Sylvie Morel". Canadian Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  2. ^ a b c Klinkenberg, Marty (2021-08-27). "For Paralympians, age is not an important number". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  3. ^ a b c Dichter, Miles (2021-08-26). "At 64, Canada's oldest Paralympian is still reinventing herself — and she's not done yet". CBC. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  4. ^ a b "Ruth Sylvie Morel Wins Gold and Silver in Wheelchair Fencing Americas Championship". Canadian Fencing Federation. 2016-06-27. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  5. ^ a b "The Suburban wishes best of luck to our hometown Paralympians". The Suburban. 2021-08-21. pp. A38. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  6. ^ "Canadian Fencers Win Six Medals at the October North American Cup (NAC)". The Sport Information Resource Centre. 2018-10-17. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  7. ^ "Canada take double gold at wheelchair fencing Americas Championships". Wheelchair Fencing. 2022-10-23. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  8. ^ "Amazing results at the IWAS World and Pan Am Championships in Brazil". Ontario Fencing Association. 2022-10-28. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  9. ^ "Golden Guissone: Brazilian star picks up first major sabre title". Wheelchair Fencing. 2022-10-22. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  10. ^ a b Daignault, Louis (2024-07-12). "Three wheelchair fencers nominated to Paris 2024 Canadian Paralympic Team". Canadian Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2024-07-31.