Multi-sport athlete Robbi Weldon competed in nordic skiiing at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Games for Canada before pairing up with Olympic cyclist Lyne Bessette – who had retired from competitive cycling – when she was asked to try piloting Weldon.
In their first race together, the pair won a silver medal at the 2010 Baie-Comeau World Cup, but then went on to win silver and bronze medals at the 2010 World Championships. In 2011, the pairing won two World Cup gold medals, World Championship gold as well as the overall World Cup title.
Her first experience at a summer Paralympics was in London when she entered three events, winning gold in the individual road race, but narrowly missing out on a medal in the individual time trial with a fourth place finish.
The Canadians covered the hilly, 80km course at Brands Hatch in a time of 2:08:26, beating runner-up Josefa Guzman Benitez and her guide Maria Noriega by 33 seconds.
One of Weldon’s most memorable moments before the London Games was winning four gold medals at the Parapan American Games in 2011. This incredible experience was capped by being named Canada’s flag bearer with Bessette at the closing ceremonies in Guadalajara.
In College, Robbi was introduced to powerlifting, where she specialised in the squat, bench ress, and deadlift. Her progress was remarkable and she soon began competing. At the 1996 World Championships in Colorado Springs, she set world records in all three disciplines.
Weldon works in therapeutics for St. Joseph’s Care Group and works as a Community Ambassador with the RBC Olympian Program. She is a mother of two young children.
She is featured in the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s Super Athletes marketing campaign and has been nicknamed “Thunder.” In 2012, Weldon was named Ontario Female Athlete of the Year with a Disability.
