August 12, 2016

Pilla welcomes Multi Olympic Sport Para Athlete, Karen Van Nest

Pilla is proud to announce that Karen Van Nest has joined Pilla as a Global Brand Ambassador for Canada

https://www.pillasport.ca/pages/athlete-karen-van-nest

Karen Van Nest is one of the most versatile athletes in Paralympic sport and sports PERIOD!

At age 23, Karen Van Nest lost her leg in a motorcycle accident. But that did not stop her from her athletic goals.

Karen began shooting in 1996, the year she found out about the Paralympic pistol disciplines. She was named to the national team in 1998. A year later, she won a bronze at her first international competition.

In London 2012, Karen competed at her fourth Paralympic Games, but her first as an archer. She was also on Team Canada at the Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games in the sport of pistol shooting. Her top finish was a fourth place in Sydney, where she missed the podium by seven-tenths of a point.

In addition to shooting and archery, Karen displayed her rowing skills in 2006 when she won a bronze medal at the world championships

After Beijing, Karen experienced problems with her right shoulder and retired from shooting. It was at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games that she discovered archery after a Team Canada member invited her to watch them compete. The archery bow did not hamper her shoulder and she took up the sport. Karen made the national archery team in 2009 and has competed at three world championships (2009, 2011, 2013).

Since then she has climbed the world standings. At the 2014 Pan Am Championships she collected two medals (silver and bronze). She won silver at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games in the women's compound bow.

Karen is currently preparing for the 2016 Paralympics in Rio De Janero, Brazil..

Welcome Karen to #TeamPilla!