KINGSTON — Canadian sailors Sarah Douglas, Will Jones and Justin Barnes have qualified to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Toronto ILCA 6 sailor Douglas and the 49er duo of Jones from Jerseyville, Ont., and Barnes from Pickering, Ont., met criteria to be named to the Canadian Olympic team at the Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta that concludes Saturday in Palma, Spain.
Douglas, 30, placed sixth in Tokyo's Olympic Games in 2021. A rank of 17th in Palma and finishing 26th in the world championship in January secured her a women's ILCA 6 berth in Paris.
"I'm super honoured and excited to be going to my second Olympic Games," Douglas said Friday in a statement from Sail Canada.
"(If) you would have told 16-year-old Sarah that she was going to two Olympics, she wouldn't have believed it. I'm just really proud that all the hard work and dedication has really come through, and I hope to represent Canada to the best of my ability.”
Jones and Barnes outpointed Arie Moffat of Kingston, Ont., and Hunter Hoy of Kirkland, Que., across two qualifying regattas for a trip to Paris.
Jones will also be a two-time Olympian after competing in Tokyo with Evan DePaul.
“It's been a long time coming,” Barnes said. “I've been sailing the 49er for almost 10 years, and I honestly don't have the words for it right now. It feels amazing and I’m super thankful that Will brought me back into the game and gave me this opportunity to try and go to the Olympics with him.”
Antonia and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance from Chester, N.S., who locked in their Olympic 49erFX berth in March, ranked fourth in Palma heading into Saturday's medal races.
The sisters finished eighth in the 49erFX world championship last month in Spain.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2024.
The Canadian Press
