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Erica Scarff
Canadian paracanoeist From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Erica Carmela Scarff (born August 16, 1996) is a Canadian paracanoeist who competes in international level events.[1]
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Early life and education
She was a former national gymnast before she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma aged twelve after she broke her right leg when she ran into a vault in her gymnastics training session. Her leg was amputated soon after, in 2009.[2] Scarff was a very active person before her diagnosis: she tried swimming, cycling and alpine skiing but chose canoeing. Since her diagnosis, she was inspired by Terry Fox who also had the same cancer as she did.[3][4]
Scarff attended Brock University and studied kinesiology.[5]
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Career
Scarff began her paracanoe journey after visiting Balmy Beach Canoe Club in 2013, training there under Mari Ellery.[6] In 2014, she took a semester off from her studies at Brock University to train paracanoe in Florida.[5] She placed sixth in the women's KL3 200-metre race at the 2016 Paracanoe World Championships.[7]
Scarff competed in paracanoe at the 2016 Paralympics, the year the sport made is Paralympic debut.[8][9] She place seventh in the women’s KL3 paracanoe sprints at the Games, 2.56 seconds behind the gold medalist.[6] At the 2017 Canoe Sprint World Cup, Scarff won bronze in the women's KL3 200-metre.[10] She placed first at the 2018 National Team Selections in the Para K1 women's 200-metre.[11]
In 2021, Scarff began training VL3.[12] In the women’s VL3 200-metre at the 2023 ICF World Canoe and Kayak Sprint Championships, Scarff won silver.[13] She also won three gold medals in sit skiing at the 2023 Canada Winter Games.[14][15]
Scarff will compete for Canada in paracanoe at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.[16]
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Personal life
Scarff was hit by a car in 2018, resulting in injuries causing setbacks to her paracanoe career,[17] including not qualifying for the 2020 Summer Paralympics.[12]
References
External links
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