CPC and Government of Canada Announce the Names of the First Paralympic Excellence Fund Recipients $1.1 million to be awarded over the next two years
QUÉBEC CITY, August 5, 2003 -- The Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) and the Government of Canada are pleased to announce the names of the first Paralympic Excellence Fund recipients. Established last April, this fund will provide $1.1 million in financial support, including $1 million from the Government of Canada over the next two years, in order to improve Canadian paralympic athletes' chances to reach the podium in Athens in 2004, and in Turin in 2006. A total of 41 athletes and more than 13 teams, pairs, and relay teams will benefit from this investment in Canadian excellence."Our athletes are among the best in the world, and they deserve financial support in order to reach their medal potential," said CPC Board Member Louis Barbeau, at the conference held today during the IBSA World Games for visually impaired athletes. "I am proud to announce that for the first time, the CPC is in a good position to support its paralympic athletes, and that with the help of the Government of Canada, paralympic athletes will be able to focus on their own Games preparations."
"We are proud of the tremendous successes that our paralympic athletes have achieved," said Secretary of State (Physical Activity and Sport) Paul DeVillers. "The Government of Canada, along with the Canadian Paralympic Committee, is pleased to support our athletes through this funding to enable them to focus more fully upon training, and to contribute to their success at future Paralympic Games."
The $1.1 million will be awarded in two payments. For the 2003-04 season, the Technical Review Committee has identified nine summer sports and three winter sports in which athletes have a chance to win medals at the 2004 or 2006 Games, and therefore will receive support. These sports are athletics, wheelchair basketball, boccia, cycling, goalball, swimming, wheelchair rugby, tennis, sailing, sledge hockey, alpine skiing, and cross-country skiing. The support will be distributed to the sports federations and will be used to pay for training camps, equipment, competitions, consultations, and professional services, as necessary.
At the end of the year, the Technical Committee will assess the results of the year's support before awarding the second payment for 2004-05, which will be conditional upon meeting the performance criteria for 2003-04. Furthermore, sports that did not receive any support during the first year will be able to submit a request for funding during the second year, should they obtain results indicating medal potential for the 2004 or 2006 Paralympic Games.
Canada won a record 96 medals at the Sydney Paralympic Games in 2000, and finished third in country rankings. Canada also won 15 medals and finished in 6th place at the 2002 Paralympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, the same results as in Nagano. The CPC wishes to set the stage for the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.
The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, charitable, private corporation that is recognized by the International Paralympic Committee. The CPC delivers programs that strengthen the Paralympic Movement in Canada, including sending Canadian teams to the Paralympic Games. The CPC empowers persons with physical disabilities, through sport, at all levels. For more information, visit its Web site at www.paralympic.ca
Brian MacPherson
Canadian Paralympic Committee
Director General
(613) 569-4333 (ext. 223)
Cell: (613) 769-3093
brian@paralympic.ca
René Ouellette
Cabinet of the Secretary of State
(Physical Activity and Sport)
(819) 994-9909
- BACKGROUNDER -
Paralympic Excellence Fund Recipients
2003-2004
SUMMER SPORTS
Athletics, $86 500
Training Camps, International Competition, Domestic Competitions
Jeff Adams, Toronto, ON
Dean Bergeron, St-Augustin, QC
Earle Connor, Calgary, AB
Jason Dunkerly, Hamilton, ON
Lisa Franks, Saskatoon, SK
France Gagné, Québec, QC
Clayton Gerein, Pilot Butte, SK
Monique Hartin, Peterborough, ON
Courtney Knight, Burnaby, BC
Chelsea Lariviere, Mountain, ON Stuart McGregor, London, ON
Chantal Petitclerc, Montréal, QC
Kyle Pettey, Campbellford, ON
Rick Reelie, Saskatoon, SK
James Shaw, Newcastle, ON
Kelly Smith, Vancouver, BC
Kris Vriend, Edmonton, AB
Relay 4x100m
Relay 4x400
Basketball, $133 000
Training Camps, International Competition, Team Physician, Sport Medicine Support
Men's National Team
Women's National Team
Boccia, $8 000
Training Camps, International Competition
Paul Gauthier, Vancouver, BC
BC3 Pair
Cycling, $5 000
Equipment
Jean Quevillon, Ste-Adèle, QC
Goalball, $20 000
Training Camps, International Competition
Women's National Team
Swimming, $95 000
Training Camps, High Performance Training, Sport Science Consultation, Individualized Facility Access
Danielle Campo, Tecumseh, ON
Andrea Cole, Thunder Bay, ON
Kirby Coté, Winnipeg, MB
Stephanie Dixon, Caledon, ON
Darda Geiger, Sarnia, ON
Chelsea Gotel, Antigonich, NB
Tyler Emmett, Windsor, ON
Andrew Haley, Calgary, AB
Brian Hill, Duncan, BC Benoit Huot, St-Hubert, QC
Adams Purdy, Waterloo, ON
Donovan Tildesley, Vancouver, BC
Elisabeth Walker, Toronto, ON
Walter Wu, Richmond, BC
Relay 4x100 Free Men
Relay 4x100 Medley Men
Relay 4x100 Free Women
Relay 4x100 Medley Women
Rugby, $72 500
Training Camps, International Competition, Equipment, Sport Medicine Support
National Team
Tennis, $10 000
International Competitions
Sarah Hunter, White Rock, BC
Sailing, $15 000
International Competitions
Sonar Team
TOTAL (SUMMER SPORTS): $445 000
WINTER SPORTS
Sledge Hockey, $25 000
Equipment Research and Production
National Team
Alpine skiing, $44 500
Physio/Massage, Coaching Support, Specialized Training Camp, Equipment, Fitness Testing
Karolina Wisniewska, Calgary, AB
Lauren Woolstencroft, Calgary, AB
Daniel Wesley, New Wesminster, BC
Chris Williamson, Toronto, ON
Cross-country skiing, $31 000
High Altitude Training, International Competitions, Sport Medicine, Equipment
Colette Bourgonje, Saskatoon, SK
Shauna Maria Whyte, Hinton, AB
Brian McKeever, Canmore, AB
TOTAL (WINTER SPORTS): $100 500
TOTAL 2003-2004: $545 500
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