Paralympic Games

Profile CPC: Emma Archibald is one of Canada’s rising stars in cross-country skiing on the Para nordic national team.

She made an impressive world championship debut in February 2025 racing in two events which included ninth place in the women’s standing 20 kilometre. She kicked off the 2025-26 season with five top 10’s in her first six races.

The Nova Scotian has also posted four top five results on the World Cup circuit over the past three seasons including two fourths.

Archibald began Para nordic skiing after being identified at a Paralympic Search event in Halifax in 2019. Originally involved in track and field, she discovered cross-country skiing at age 16 and quickly fell in love with the sport.

She trains with the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees nordic team while pursuing a nursing degree at the school. She made rapis progress through the Para nordic development pathway, earning international classification as a no-pole skier.

Born with Amniotic Band Syndrome, Archibald is missing several fingers on both hands and toes on her right foot. She competes without poles, a technique she has used throughout her skiing career. She is fluent in English and French and continues to balance high-performance sport with her academic studies.

NOTEABLE INTERNATIONAL RESULTS
2025 Para cross country world chamionships 20 km 9th
2025 Para cross country world championships 10 km 13th