Alexandra Paul, a Canadian ice skater who took part in the 2014 Sochi Olympics, passed away at the age of 31 in an unfortunate accident on August 27.
According to the reported news sources, Paul lost her life on Tuesday in a crash involving multiple vehicles that also hurt her baby son. A big truck is said to have smashed into a line of cars that had stopped due to road work.
The police mentioned that Paul’s child was taken to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. She and her husband Mitchell Islam, who was her partner in ice dancing for a long time before they retired and got married, had celebrated the birth of their baby late last year.
Skate Canada praised her, saying:
Alexandra was a bright star both on and off the ice. Her dedication, passion, and extraordinary skills have made an unforgettable impact on the world of figure skating.
The organization noted that she and Islam, with whom she competed from 2009 to 2016, won medals three times at the Canadian national championships and participated in the 2014 Winter Games, finishing in 18th place.
“Her dedication to being excellent was only matched by her warmth and kindness, which made her beloved by fellow athletes, coaches, and fans,” Skate Canada added. “As we think about Alexandra’s contributions to the sport, we also remember the camaraderie and sportsmanship she displayed. She wasn’t just a successful athlete; she was a true inspiration for young skaters, showing the importance of being resilient, determined, and sportsmanlike.”
Alexandra Paul and Mitchell Islam got married in 2021. After taking retirement from skating career, Paul was working as a lawyer at a law firm in Barrie, Ontario. She won silver medal in Ice Dancing at World Junior Championships 2010 in the Hague.
Paul involved herself into political studies after 2015 winter Olympics, completing her final year from Oakland University in 2017. She went on to earn her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Windsor and started his career as a lawyer.
A year later Paul married to her longtime skating partner Mitchell Islam in 2021 and welcomed a child in 2022.