People of Georgian: Alumna skates her way to Special Olympics Canada gold

What’s your story?

The Georgian community is full of unique, inspiring perspectives —and we’re sharing them as part of an ongoing series.

People of Georgian: Meet Brooke Thomas

It was very happy and excited to win gold at the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games.

It felt very amazing to actually win and know that all your hard work paid off. You get to show not only Ontario, but Canada, that you were made to do this.

Three people wearing medals stand in a row, with the person in the middle putting their arms up in the air. — *Brooke, centre, won gold in free skate at the 2024 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games.*

I started figure skating at the age of four, and then I started competing with Special Olympics at the age of eight. So, I’ve kind of always been a competing athlete.

I have cerebral palsy on my right side, and I knew that doing “regular” sports wasn’t going to be a thing for me, so to find Special Olympics was pretty amazing.

I’ve made new friends and met people just like me from all over Canada.

A person wearing a dress and hockey helmet figure skates on an ice rink. — *Brooke has been skating since she was four years old.*

To prepare for the Winter Games, I would go to the gym and see my local trainer two to three times a week, and then I would also skate twice a week. On top of that, you work and do your regular life activities.

It was kind of mentally grueling and exhausting.

But I just love skating. It is just something I go back to all the time. When you’re out on the ice, you don’t really think about anything that’s going on – like your personal life or what’s happening at work – you’re just there to have fun and do the best that you can.

I’m continuing to train for the next Special Olympics in four years, and I may be going to the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Italy.

A person wearing a winter jacket, toque, sunglasses and a gold medal stands outside with a snowy mountain and Canada flag in the background.

I would tell others who are interested in competing to just try their best and know that they’re going to fall down, but just know that you can get back up and keep going.

Through skating and competing, I’ve learned that when I set my mind to something, I can do it.

All my homework has paid off, and I can do basically anything I put my mind to.

Brooke Thomas, alumna of the Community Integration Through Co-operative Education program at Georgian’s Owen Sound Campus. Brooke also won gold in free skate at the 2024 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games.

Our categories