Brian McKeever
Encyclopedia
Brian McKeever (born June 18, 1979 in Calgary
, Alberta
) is a Canadian
cross-country skier and biathlete. He began skiing at the age of three and started competing at thirteen. At 19 he began losing his vision due to Stargardt's disease
. At the 2002
and 2006 Winter Paralympics
he competed in both cross-country skiing and biathlon. He won two gold medals and a silver in cross-country the first year and bronze medal for biathlon plus two gold medals and a silver for cross-country skiing in the later year.
His older brother, Robin McKeever
, competes as his guide
when Brian skis in the Paralympics.
In 2010, he became the first Canadian athlete to be named to both Paralympic
and Olympic
teams. At the 2010 Winter Olympics
, he was going to compete in the men's 50km cross-country race
, however Canada's coach decided to replace him with a skier who did well at an earlier event at the 2010 games and thus he did not become the first athlete in the world to compete in the Winter Paralympics
and Winter Olympics
in the same year.
At the 2010 Paralympics McKeever won three gold medals for cross-country skiing.
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
cross-country skier and biathlete. He began skiing at the age of three and started competing at thirteen. At 19 he began losing his vision due to Stargardt's disease
Stargardt's disease
Stargardt disease, or fundus flavimaculatus, is an inherited juvenile macular degeneration that causes progressive vision loss usually to the point of legal blindness...
. At the 2002
2002 Winter Paralympics
The 2002 Winter Paralympics, the eighth Winter Paralympics, were held in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, from March 7 to March 16, 2002. A total of 416 athletes from 36 nations participated....
and 2006 Winter Paralympics
2006 Winter Paralympics
The 2006 Winter Paralympic Games, the ninth Winter Paralympics, took place in Turin, Italy from 10 to 19 March 2006. These were the first Winter Paralympic Games to be held in Italy. They were also the first Paralympics to use the new paralympics logo....
he competed in both cross-country skiing and biathlon. He won two gold medals and a silver in cross-country the first year and bronze medal for biathlon plus two gold medals and a silver for cross-country skiing in the later year.
His older brother, Robin McKeever
Robin McKeever
Robin McKeever is a Canadian cross country skier, sighted guide, Paralympian and Olympian.He participated in cross-country skiing at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano....
, competes as his guide
Sighted guide
A sighted guide is a person who guides a person with blindness or vision impairment.-Paralympic Games:At the Paralympic Games there are various classifications of athletes with a visual impairment....
when Brian skis in the Paralympics.
In 2010, he became the first Canadian athlete to be named to both Paralympic
Canada at the 2010 Winter Paralympics
Canada was the host country of the 2010 Winter Paralympics, in Vancouver, the first time it had hosted the Winter Paralympics.The 2010 Winter Paralympics was the most successful Winter Paralympics for Canada, through 2010. It collected the most total medals and most gold medals of any Winter...
and Olympic
Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Canada hosted and participated in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. Canada previously hosted the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Canada sent a team of 206 athletes , including participants in all 15 sports...
teams. At the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
, he was going to compete in the men's 50km cross-country race
Cross-country skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics
The cross-country skiing competition of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver were held at Whistler Olympic Park. The events were held between 15 and 28 February 2010.- Medal table :- Men's events :- Women's events :- Competition schedule :...
, however Canada's coach decided to replace him with a skier who did well at an earlier event at the 2010 games and thus he did not become the first athlete in the world to compete in the Winter Paralympics
2010 Winter Paralympics
The 2010 Winter Paralympics, officially the X Paralympic Winter Games, or the 10th Winter Paralympics, were held in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia, Canada from March 12 to 21, 2010. The Opening Ceremony took place in BC Place Stadium in Vancouver and the Closing Ceremony in Whistler...
and Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in the same year.
At the 2010 Paralympics McKeever won three gold medals for cross-country skiing.