3 Punjabi-origin athletes to represent Canada in Paris Olympics 2024 ft. Jessica Gaudreault & Amar Dhesi
Following their record-breaking medal haul at Tokyo 2020, India aims to secure double-digit medals this time, at the Paris Olympics 2024. Competing in 16 sports, 117 Indian athletes will face off against some of the world’s finest competitors.
But the nation will be represented by more than them, as athletes of Indian descent will represent other nations at the Paris Olympics 2024.
Three remarkable athletes with roots in Punjab are set to represent Canada at the Paris Olympics 2024, bringing their rich heritage and immense talent to the global stage. Jessica Gaudreault, Jasneet Nijjar, and Amar Dhesi each have compelling stories that would make their ancestral heritage proud.
# Jessica Gaudreault (Women's Waterpolo in Paris Olympics 2024)
Jessica Gaudreault, born in Ottawa, is the national team goalkeeper for Canada’s water polo team at Paris Olympics 2024. Her mother, Ajit Kaur Tiwana, hails from Chanarthal Kalan, the largest village in Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib district. Jessica's water polo journey began at 14 when her parents enrolled her in a summer camp, sparking her passion for the sport.
She has since achieved significant milestones, including helping Canada secure a fifth-place finish at the inaugural FINA World Youth Championship in 2012 and winning a silver medal at the 2017 FINA World League Super Final, where she was named the tournament's best goalkeeper. With silver medals from Toronto 2015, Lima 2019, and Santiago 2023 Pan-American Games, Jessica is a key player for Canada as they head to the Paris Olympics 2024.
# Jasneet Nijjar (4x400m women’s relay team)
Jasneet Nijjar, a 23-year-old sprinter from British Columbia, will compete in Canada’s 4x400m women’s relay team. She is the first Indo-Canadian woman to participate in a track and field event at the Olympics. Jasneet’s journey began at the age of seven when she started training with her older siblings at Universal Athletics Club in Surrey, under the guidance of coach Jessie Dosanjh.
Her hard work and dedication paid off when she was selected for Team Canada for the Paris Olympics 2024, making her an inspiration for young athletes in the Indo-Canadian community.
# Amar Dhesi (freestyle wrestling)
Amar Dhesi, also from British Columbia, made his Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games, where he finished 13th in the men’s 125kg freestyle wrestling event. His father, Balbir Dhesi, an elite wrestler in India, immigrated to Canada in 1976 and founded the Khalsa Wrestling Club in Surrey, BC, to nurture young wrestling talent.
Amar's path to the Olympics 2024 has been marked by determination and perseverance. After taking a year off to work with the Vancouver Police Department for financial reasons, he returned to wrestling with renewed focus. A former Commonwealth Games (2022) and Pan-Am Championships gold medalist, Amar is eager to compete in Paris to achieve a podium finish.