Yukon paralympian readying for Commonwealth Games after winning 4 gold medals at nationals

CBC
·2 min read
Jessica Frotten, of Whitehorse, races to a first place finish in the 1,500-metre para wheelchair final at the Canadian Track and Field Championships in Langley, B.C., on Friday. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press - image credit)
Jessica Frotten, of Whitehorse, races to a first place finish in the 1,500-metre para wheelchair final at the Canadian Track and Field Championships in Langley, B.C., on Friday. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press - image credit)

Jessica Frotten surprised herself at last weekend's Bell Canadian Track and Field Championships.

The Yukon wheelchair racer suffered a hip injury after the Tokyo Paralympic Games late last summer and missed a series of recent races.

She said the injury made it painful for her to sit in her racer.

After doing a lot of modified training, she was able to get back to racing for the first time at the national championships.

"I wasn't really sure how it was going to go," she said.

It went well, to put it mildly.

She won gold in the 100-, 400-, 800- and 1,500-metre track events.

Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press
Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press

The Whitehorse athlete, who now lives and trains in Regina, said she was especially happy with her 400-metre race.

"I felt like I just got off the line really well and finished it strong," she said.

She said by not being able to train while she was injured didn't seem to affect her during the race.

"I felt stronger than I have in a long time out on the track this past weekend. So I'm really happy with the way things are progressing," she said.

Commonwealth Games

Next up for the 34-year-old athlete is the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, beginning in late July, where she'll compete in the the 1,500-metre wheelchair race.

"It's going to be the first event to come back with less restrictions. I mean, it was such an honour to be in Tokyo and to represent Canada but it just wasn't a full Olympic experience with the way that the world was at that time," she said.

"So I'm so excited to get out on the track and be there with the whole Team Canada again."

The international competition is an integrated event where able-bodied and para athletes all compete at the same events.

She said the 1,500-metre race is one where wheelchair racing really shines.

She explained that drafting plays a big part in the race.

"When you're in the draft as a racer ahead of you, you have to work about 30 per cent less," she said, comparing it to when geese fly in a V formation.

"You don't necessarily have to be the strongest or the fastest racer. You got to be the smartest one," she said.

She'll be taking the next four weeks to work on some tactical pieces so that she can "put together the perfect 1,500-metre race."

After that, her schedule will be full with a Pan Am Games and a world championships in 2023 and another Paralympics Games in 2024.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Archerwill fire department out of operation after blaze inside fire hall

    Editor's Note: This story was first published April 23 and has been corrected to include the reporter's byline. ARCHERWILL – The Village of Archerwill, population 153, will be without their fire department for the unforeseen future due to a fire that occurred in their fire hall on Feb. 17. Firefighting equipment, fire suits, PPE inside the building and three fire trucks were all part of the loss. Fire Chief Steven Christianson said on Feb. 17 the Archerwill skating rink was hosting an annual tou

  • Walmart history: Beyond the Ticker

    For more than six decades, the discount megastore Walmart (WMT) has redefined retail. In 2023 alone, the company brought in more than $648 billion dollars in revenue. Beyond the Ticker takes a deep dive into the company’s biggest moments. 1962 Walmart was founded by Sam Walton. Its first location was in Rogers, Arkansas. 1967 The Walton family owned 24 stores and had racked up $12.7 million in sales. 1970 On October 1, 1970, Walmart went public via an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange. Shares opened at $16.50 per share. 1983 The company opened its first Sam's Club in Oklahoma in a bid to compete with Costco’s (COST) wholesale, member-only model. 1988 Founder Sam Walton stepped down as CEO, and David Glass was named his successor. That same year, the first Walmart Supercenter opened in Washington, Missouri, creating what it’s currently known for – a mix of general merchandise and grocery. 1996 Walmart opened its first location in China and surpassed $1 billion in sales for the year. 2000 Walmart.com launched, allowing US customers to shop online – as Amazon.com (AMZN) began to take off. 2017 To compete with Amazon, among other online retailers, Walmart introduced free two-day shipping. 2020-2021 During the pandemic, the retailer boomed as consumers sought out the Covid-19 vaccine, and then, cheaper groceries as inflation picked up. 2024 In late March, Walmart stock reached a record closing high of $61.45 per share. And it only keeps growing – with more than 10,500 stores in 19 different countries. From tech giants to retail titans, Beyond the Ticker is a historical series that takes a deep dive into some of Wall Street's trending companies and how they transformed into the financial icons they are today. Check out more of our Beyond the Ticker series, and be sure to tune in to Yahoo Finance. Editor's note: This video was produced by Zach Faulds.

  • Family buys toy house in UK — and finds ‘large’ six-legged stowaway from Pennsylvania

    “We see all sorts of things arrive,” the animal organization said. “We never know what will be next.”

  • Newborn baby girl dies after being saved from her dead mother’s womb in Gaza

    A premature baby rescued from her dead mother’s womb has died in Gaza after spending a number of days in an incubator.

  • Who will replace Ralf Little for Death In Paradise season 14?

    Ralf Little is gone from Death in Paradise, so who will be Saint Marie's next detective?

  • Why France beating England would be good for the Women’s Six Nations

    WOMEN’S SIX NATIONS: In the inevitable grand slam decider, a French victory would be a significant step for the championship in proving that England aren’t accelerating out of sight, writes Harry Latham-Coyle in Bordeaux

  • Channing Tatum Turns 44: What's Next for the Star, Including Wedding Planning and Divorce Court

    The actor stars in 'Fly Me to the Moon' and the thriller 'Blink Twice' this year

  • You Can Get a $10 USD Manicure From This Robot

    This one's for the girlies are overstimulated in busy nail salon settings or looking for a quick...

  • China attempting to ‘influence’ and ‘interfere’ with 2024 US election, Blinken says

    President Biden previously cautioned China’s president about staying out of this year’s presidential race

  • Intel stock slides on lower Q2 forecast

    Shares of Intel (INTC) are moving lower Friday morning as the company posted its first quarter report, revealing a better-than-expected profit. However, the company posted a lower-than-expected forecast for second-quarter revenue. Yahoo Finance Anchors Brad Smith and Seana Smith discuss how Intel is competing in the chip space and whether Q1 is the bottom of its near-term supply constraints. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino

  • Chrissy Teigen takes daughter Luna’s Girl Scout troop to her dad’s assisted living facility

    They made friendship bracelets and homemade ranch dressing with the residents.

  • Primary teacher lured boyfriend with sex before tying him up, killing him and burying body in garden

    Fiona Beal, of Moore Street, Northampton, was arrested in March 2022 after police discovered the body

  • Biden bungles date of Jan 6 Capitol riot in latest gaffe

    This marks the latest in a series of gaffes from the president as he campaigns for a second term in office

  • Prince William's Latest 'Dad Joke' Quip Carries on Yearslong Banter with Famous Comedian

    Jack Whitehall has crossed paths with members of the royal family several times, including going to school with Kate Middleton!

  • 8 US Summer Trips Middle-Class Families Can Still Afford For 2024

    Summer travel can be expensive, especially if you're planning to go abroad and haven't gotten all of your plans set yet. The longer you take to buy those airplane tickets and book those...

  • Reggie Bush Recalls 'Fighting Thoughts of Suicide' Before Being Drafted by the New Orleans Saints

    The former NFL player spoke out about his emotional journey and the return of his Heisman Trophy on 'CBS Mornings' on April 26

  • William loves a Dad joke – here are 10 more fit for a Prince

    Poor old Dads. No prefix is more maligned. “Dad-bod” describes the pudge-wrapped torso of one who has swapped the bench-press for beaujolais. “Dad-dancing” denotes the kind of pistol fingers, bum-wobble shuffle of someone recovering from an operation in which their sense of rhythm was surgically removed. “Dad-rock,” denotes safe, Radio-2 friendly guitar music. Don’t forget the most disgusting creature in all of politics, the “Centrist Dad”.

  • Nvidia Approaches Key Level In New Chart Pattern; Is The Stock A Buy Now?

    For Nvidia investors, last week's steep sell-off likely caused some to exit their positions. Nvidia's chart shows a clear buy point from a base again. Nvidia rose on Friday, adding to Thursday's gains after a sharp 13% sell-off last week.

  • Traveler Plays Game of Tic-Tac-Toe with Stranger on Flight to Dubai

    In March, the woman posted a video on TikTok of herself playing the game with a fellow passenger seated in front of her

  • Travelers stuck in long lines amid internet issues at Sky Harbor

    Sky Harbor officials say an internet issue is leading to long lines and issues Friday morning. Passengers are telling ABC15 they are having trouble checking in for flights.