Christopher "Chris" Daw (born February 1, 1970) is a Canadian Paralympian, multi-sport athlete, and one of Canada's most accomplished wheelchair sport competitors. Over a career spanning more than four decades, Daw represented Canada internationally in adaptive track and field, marathon racing, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair volleyball, wheelchair rugby, and wheelchair curling, earning recognition as a legendary figure in Canadian Paralympic sport.
Daw first gained international prominence in 1986 when he captured six gold medals and set six world records at the inaugural World Games for Disabled Youth in Nottingham, England. He subsequently represented Canada in adaptive track and field at the 1984 and 1988 Paralympic Games, before competing internationally in wheelchair basketball and later wheelchair rugby at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney.
Following his transition to wheelchair curling in 2000, Daw became one of the pioneers of the sport, helping establish Canada as a world power. He was a member of the Canadian team that won the first-ever Paralympic gold medal awarded in wheelchair curling at the 2006 Winter Paralympics in Turin, Italy. His achievements across multiple sports place him among a select group of Canadian athletes to have competed at the highest international level in both Summer and Winter Paralympic disciplines.
Daw has participated as an athlete in hockey, field, parachuting; rock climbing, badminton and holds high-level black belts in Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu.
Curling
Daw entered curling in 2000, and helped develop and adapt the sport for the Paralympics. He was the skip of the Canadian team at the 2002 World Wheelchair Curling Championship in Sursee, Switzerland, where after six months of training the team won silver.
In 2003 Daw won Gold at the World Wheelchair cup of curing in Scotland, defeating rival Frank Duffy. The next year, he would again be the skip of the Canadian team and the Wheelchair Curling championship, again in Sursee, where the team won bronze.
He would finish his curling career as the skip of the Canadian team, which won the first ever Gold in Wheelchair curling at the 2006 Winter Paralympics.
In 2007, Daw withdrew his name from the Team Canada selection process that could have led to a spot on the 2010 Winter Paralympics. He resurfaced as part of the Wheelchair Curling Team for Newfoundland as Skip in 2008, and relocated to British Columbia in 2009. He was the General manager of the Vancouver Curling Club when it took over the Olympic Curling center (now Hillcrest Center) in 2011.
In 2010, it was announced that Daw was returning to competitive curling, joining Jim Armstrong. As Armstrong's second on a local British Columbia team in provincial play-downs; with hopes of representing Team BC. Team Armstrong was unsuccessful in capturing the 2011 BC Championship title. Armstrong would later move to Ontario.
Daw announced his retirement in December 2008.
In 2026, after an 18-year absence from high-performance wheelchair curling, Daw returned to competitive play as skip of Team BC #2 at the Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship in Boucherville, Quebec. Daw, who had previously skipped Canada to a gold medal at the 2006 Winter Paralympics, stated that his return was motivated by a desire to help grow grassroots wheelchair curling while once again representing British Columbia at the national level. His team included veteran curler Frank La Bounty, 2 newcomers and Lead, Elizabeth Daw, Daw's wife.
Professional career In 2012, Daw signed on with Ken Strong and became executive director of Ice Twice Rinks Inc. in Oakville, Ontario. Programs at the rink were run by experienced coaches such as Al Iafrate, Eddi Choi, Christina Kessler, and Ryan Munce. Daw left Ice Twice Rinks in 2015, which was sold to Jamie Allison; a former NHL player with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Since 2000 Daw has been a reporter on the sport of wheelchair curling. Daw was a commentator with CBC television during the Paralympic games in 2010, 2014 and 2018. Daw has also worked with CBC on other ventures, including the 2018 Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championships.
During his athletic career, Daw has attended over 125 National Championships, 64 World Championships, 4 Paralympics, and 1 Olympics with an estimated medal total of over 1000+ for Canada including a dozen World Championships, 19 World records, and Paralympic Gold medal performances.
Personal life In 2006 it was reported that Daw had one child a son; Kyle, with his first wife Mari Brown. Daw's daughter Arowyn was born in February 2010 with his second wife Morgan Perry. Daw married military veteran Elizabeth van Drongelen on August 19th, 2021. On September 15, 2021, Daw's daughter Chantelle Daw died at the age of 27.
In April 2010, Daw lost his mother Eleanor Daw. According to Daw, her loss has had a profound change in him which he often referred to the reason behind his retirement from international sport. Daw would later lose his Father Ivan Daw in November of 2022 https://strathroyfuneralhome.com/tribute/details/19182/Ivan-Daw/obituary.html
In 2010, Daw was inducted into the London Sports Hall of Fame on September 23, 2010
Selected results Olympic GamesFinishEventYearPlacePositionTeamAlternateWheelchair Adaptive Track1984Los Angeles, United StatesAlternate Paralympic GamesFinishEventYearPlacePositionTeamGoldWheelchair Curling2006Turin, ItalySkip4thWheelchair Rugby2000Sydney, AustraliaPlayer #10BronzeWheelchair Adaptive Track1988Seoul, South KoreaParticipantGoldWheelchair Adaptive Track1984Stoke Mandeville, United KingdomParticipant () Para PanAM GamesFinishEventYearPlacePositionTeamBronzeSit-Volleyball2007Rio de Janeiro, BrazilPlayer World Wheelchair Curling ChampionshipFinishEventYearPlacePositionTeamSilverWheelchair curling2002Sursee, SwitzerlandSkipGoldWheelchair Curling World Cup2003Glasgow, ScotlandSkipBronzeWheelchair curling2004Sursee, SwitzerlandSkip6.Wheelchair curling2005Glasgow, ScotlandSkip4.Wheelchair curling2007Sollefteå, SwedenSkip Canadian Wheelchair Curling ChampionshipFinishEventYearPlacePositionTeamGoldWheelchair curling2003Toronto, CanadaSkipGoldWheelchair curling2005Richmond, CanadaSkipGoldWheelchair curling2006Richmond, CanadaSkip6thWheelchair curling2009Halifax, CanadaSkip11thWheelchair curling2026Boucherville, CanadaSkip Provincial Wheelchair Curling ChampionshipFinishEventYearPlacePositionTeamBronzeWheelchair curling2011Kimberley, Canada2ndArmstrongSilverWheelchair Curling2026Richmond, CanadaSkipDaw First World Games for Disabled Youth (Nottingham, England)FinishEventYearPlaceResultTeamGoldWheelchair Adaptive Track1986 NottinghamWorld RecordGoldWheelchair Adaptive Track1986 NottinghamWorld RecordGoldWheelchair Adaptive Track1986 NottinghamWorld RecordGoldWheelchair Adaptive Track1986 NottinghamWorld RecordGoldWheelchair Adaptive Track1986 NottinghamWorld RecordGoldWheelchair Adaptive Track1986 NottinghamWorld Record Awards and RecognitionAwardAwarded by;DescriptionPlaceYearCountryRick Hansan Relayhttp://www.rickhansenrelay.com/en/gallery-viewer.aspx?gallery=3534&photo=2 Town of StrathroyMedal Bearer Strathroy, Ontario2011Hall of FameCity of LondonLondon Sports Hall of Fame London, Ontario2010King Clancy AwardKing Clancy FoundationOutstanding Performance2007High Performance Coach of the YearProvince of OntarioCoach of the Year, Wheelchair Athletics2007International Achievement AwardGovernment of CanadaAchievement Award2006World Achievement AwardGovernment of CanadaAchievement Award2006National Achievement AwardGovernment of CanadaAchievement Award2006Provincial Achievement AwardProvince of OntarioAchievement Award2006Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee MedalGovernment of CanadaAchievement Award2002International Achievement AwardGovernment of CanadaAchievement Award2000World Achievement AwardGovernment of CanadaAchievement Award2000Celebration 88 MedalGovernment of CanadaAchievement Award1988International Achievement AwardGovernment of CanadaAchievement Award1988JFO Recognition Multi Governments Awards1991World AwardGovernment of CanadaAchievement Award1988National Achievement AwardGovernment of CanadaAchievement Award1988Provincial Achievement AwardProvince of OntarioAchievement Award1988Breaking Barrieirs AwardCurl BCNomination2026
Filmography
Television Year 2005 - 2022 Title Role Notes 2007–2022 CBC Television - Olympic/Paralympic Games ON Air talent/Analyst/ Voice over artist Credited
Live streaming Year Title Role Notes 2007–2022 Canadian Curling Association - National Championships Producer/Commentator Credited
Film Year Title Role Notes 2005 Murderball Athlete Uncredited
References
External links
London Sports Hall of Fame Tribute Video