Skate Canada has described Olympic ice dancer Alexandra Paul as a “cherished member of our skating community” after learning of her death in a car crash at the age of 31.
Paul was traveling with her baby son Charles when she was hit in a collision that involved seven vehicles in Melancthon township North of Shelburne in Ontario last Tuesday (August 22).
Police believe a transport lorry entered a construction zone on Country Road 124 and crashed into cars which had stopped.
“It is with a heavy heart that Skate Canada announces the sudden passing of a cherished member of our skating community, Alexandra Paul,” a Skate Canada statement said.
“A shining star on and off the ice, Alexandra’s dedication, passion, and remarkable talents have left an indelible mark on the world of figure skating.
“As we remember Alexandra’s contributions to the sport, we also reflect on the camaraderie and sportsmanship she exemplified.
“She was not only an accomplished athlete but also a true role model for aspiring skaters, demonstrating the values of resilience, perseverance, and sportsmanlike conduct,”
Paul had won silver at the 2010 International Skating Union (ISU) Junior World Championships in The Hague.
She competed with her partner Mitch Islam at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi where they placed 18th in ice dance.
Paul retired from the sport in 2016 and married Islam in 2021.
Her son is said to have been taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
