Team BC 2020 Pure Heart Profiles: Speed skater Ian Walgren

Special Olympics speed skater Ian Walgren
Ian Walgren in action at the 2019 Special Olympics BC Winter Games. Photo by Celena Sandaker - Celena S Photography

The theme of the 2020 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games is "Pure Heart." Meet a few of the many members of the Special Olympics Team BC 2020 Training Squad who are demonstrating pure heart and inspiring determination in their training for the National Games!

Special Olympics BC – Nelson speed skater Ian Walgren is “super excited” to be a member of the Team BC 2020 Training Squad.

This is the first time Walgren has qualified to compete in the 2020 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games, and he is doing everything he can to be ready to do his best in Thunder Bay. Through the summer, Walgren trained six days a week for 1.5 to 2 hours a day, and sometimes could be found biking 15 kilometres. 

At the 2019 Special Olympics BC Winter Games in Greater Vernon, Walgren earned two medals – one silver and one bronze – as well as fourth- and sixth-place results in his hard-fought races. Walgren says that “doing awesome at the SOBC Winter Games” is his favourite Special Olympics experience to date.

Walgren loves the speed of his sport, and thinks the prospect of racing at the National Games is “very awesome.”

Learn more about Walgren and Special Olympics Team BC 2020 at www.soteambc2020.ca