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 Kevin
Frost and with his service dog Lewis. File photo
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Kevin Frost
is at it again. The multi-sport deaf-blind athlete recently
won a gold medal competing against able-bodied athletes at
a speed skating event in Lake Placid last month.
The Jack
Shea Sprints Championships are held every January on an
outdoor oval by the Lake Placid Speed Skating Club. The
event is open to both Americans and Canadians who compete
at various age groups and abilities.
Frost
came first in the 500-metre event in the men's Division
III category, beating out fellow competitor Jonathan Furminger.
Furminger then turned the tables on Frost in the 1000.
Speed
skating is one of the first sports Frost got involved in
after he was diagnosed with Usher Syndrome in 2002. The
condition leads to partial or total hearing and vision loss
that worsens over time. He currently has 15 per cent hearing
(90 decibels) and eight per cent tunnel vision.
Frost
joined the Gloucester Concordes Speed Skating Club the same
year he was diagnosed. The former hockey referee was looking
for a sport he could do on ice and he always wanted to try
his hand at speed skating. It didn't hurt that the Gloucester
Concordes train at the Bob MacQuarrie Complex where Frost
refereed many of his games.
After
starting out in short track, he soon took up long track
as well. Competitive speed skating has taken Frost across
Canada and overseas where he's competed in Russia, Germany
and Great Britain. He took up rowing for five years and
track and field before finally focusing on tandem cycling
and golfing. He won a silver medal last year in the tandem
road race event at the Canadian championships. His goal
this year is to finish on the podium in the Time Trial event
with his new pilot, Phil Bergeron, who is also a former
speed skater.
(This
story was made possible thanks to the generous support of
our local business partners.)
TAPROOM 260 presents Crooked Creek live from 8-11 p.m. at 260 Centrum Blvd. For more information visit 
MATT LULOFF W/ EDISON RUPERT performing at the Stray Dog Brewing Company, 501 Lacolle Way in the Taylor Creek Business Park. To register your team visit 
OTTAWA CARLETON MALE CHOIR in concert at the Navan-Vars United Church 1129 Smith Rd. in Navan at 2:30 p.m. Tickets $20 at the door.
THE ORLÉANS BREWING CO. presents Oyster Wednesdays every Wednesday. The Orléans Brewing Co. is located at 4380 Innes Rd. near McDonalds.
BLACKBURN HAMLET COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The entire community is invited…rain or shine! Please keep visiting blackburn.ca for more up-to-date information as it becomes available.
