Swimmers on Pace for London:
One year out from the 2012 Paralympic Games trials, Benoit Huot of Montreal, Summer Mortimer of Newmarket, Ont. And Amber Thomas of Drayton Valley, Alta. each won multiple gold medals at their first big event of the 2011 season, the Can Am swimming championships April 7 to 9 at the University of Minnesota.
More than 60 Canadian Para-swimmers were at the competition, which was the first selection meet to determine the team for the Para Pan Pacific Championships August 10 to 14 in Edmonton and is also considered a rehearsal for the Paralympic Games trials which will be held around this time next year.
Multi-tasking McKeever fires up Biathlon Silver:
A last-minute addition to the 12.5 km biathlon event, Brian McKeever (Canmore, Alta.) and his guide Erik Carleton (Calgary, Alta.) shocked the worlds’ best in the sport when they finished second in the men’s visually impaired biathlon distance competition at the Paralympic Cross-Country Skiing World Championships April 10 in Russia.
Overall, Canada’s Para-Nordic athletes combined to win a record seven medals at these world championships, for the nation’s best-ever finish in the sport at a worlds or Paralympics. Led by McKeever’s three golds and one silver, the week will also be remembered for Canada’s sit-skiers making history by claiming double-gold in the cross-country skiing distance races with wins by Saskatoon’s Colette Bourgonje and Chris Klebl of Canmore, Alta.
Paralympic medallists on tour:
Paralympic medallists Greg Westlake (sledge hockey) and David Eng (wheelchair basketball) are spending April 11 to 14 touring the Atlantic provinces along with seven Olympic medallists as part of the first-ever Canadian Olympic & Paralympic Heroes Tour, presented by Atlantic Lottery.
In Halifax, St. John’s, Charlottetown, Summerside and Moncton, the tour will connect Olympians and Paralympians with students, community leaders, children in hospitals, members of the Canadian Forces and fans of the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic teams. It acts as a lead-in to the 2011 Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame Gala Dinner & Induction Ceremony April 16 in Moncton, N.B.
About the Canadian Paralympic Committee
The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, private organization with 46 member sport organizations, dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic Movement. The Canadian Paralympic Committee's vision is to be the world's leading Paralympic nation. Its mission is to lead the development of a sustainable Paralympic sport system in Canada to enable athletes to reach the podium at the Paralympic Games. By supporting Canadian Paralympic athletes and promoting their success, the Canadian Paralympic Committee inspires all Canadians with a disability to get involved in sport through programs delivered by its member organizations. For more information, visit www.paralympic.ca.
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For more information, please contact:
Alison Korn
Manager, Media Relations
Canadian Paralympic Committee
Tel: (613) 569-4333 ext. 243
Email: akorn@paralympic.ca
