Michelle Stilwell Captures GOLD!!

TILWELL CAPTURES GOLD

Assen, Netherlands

Nanoose Bay s Michelle Stilwell blazed to a Games record in the 200m sprint at the IPC World Championships in Assen today. Stilwell s time of 39.51 was enough to ensure her Gold medal.

Stilwell finished ahead of Pia Schmidt of Switzerland who had captured gold in the 100m on Monday. Describing her feelings about the race Stilwell said there was a little extra motivation from the crowd today referring to her parents and husband who arrived in Assen yesterday.

Stilwell credits much of her success to her involvement with PacificSport and the BC Wheelchair Sports Athletics program as well as to the generous support of sponsors like Shoppers Home Health Care, Arrowsmith Bikes and Frontrunners.

Stilwell who began competing in Athletics after winning a gold medal in Basketball at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Australia and being forced to retire from the team as a result of an acquired Chiari malformation. Despite undergoing brain surgery in January 2005 Stilwell has focussed her energies on learning the new sport of track & field and represented Canada at the 2005 European Championships in Finland and became the Canadian Champion in the 100m, 200m, 400m & 800m in 2006.

Look for more successes from Stilwell in the future as she prepares for the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China.