Canadian Paralympians to Celebrate Sports Day in Canada - Swimmers Summer Mortimer and Stephanie Dixon share how sport can transform lives and have positive impact on communities

OTTAWA, Sept. 27, 2012 /CNW/ - From setting records in London to inspiring Canadians back home, Paralympic swimmer Summer Mortimer is ecstatic to have landed a spot on CBC's Sports Day in Canada's broadcast airing live on Saturday, Sept. 29.

Mortimer, of Ancaster, Ont., will appear Saturday afternoon at the Play On! Street Hockey Championship in Niagara Falls, Ont. Her four-medal performance in the pool (two gold, one silver and one bronze) at the London 2012 Paralympic Games were Team Canada's highest medal haul by an individual athlete.

"London was my first Paralympic Games and it was an amazing experience that really blew away my expectations," said the 19-year-old. "Now that I'm home, I'm finding more and more people have become aware of parasport and are following the Canadian Paralympic Team. I'm so excited now to help keep up the momentum and be part of increasing the awareness about the opportunities in sport for people with a disability. My dream is to inspire more people to get involved."

In Whitehorse, Yukon, three-time Paralympic swimmer Stephanie Dixon will be at the Canada Games Centre and appear on the CBC broadcast from there. Now working as a swim coach in Whitehorse, Dixon (formerly based in Victoria, B.C.) competed at the Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games and won 17 medals overall - tallying seven gold, eight silver and two bronze.

The timing of Saturday's broadcast is particularly special for the Canadian Paralympic Committee, as Sept. 29 marks exactly one month since the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

"The London 2012 Paralympic Games set new records every day - competition records, attendance records, records for media coverage and records for Paralympic spirit," said Henry Storgaard, CEO of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. "Sports Day in Canada is a fantastic opportunity for all Canadians to celebrate and embrace the power of sport, strengthen our national spirit and encourage healthy, active living. With only three per cent of Canadians with a disability currently involved in organized sport, recruitment and awareness will be key to building Canada's medal potential as we prepare for future Games."

The Canadian Paralympic Committee's "Get Involved" campaign invites Canadians to experience parasport for themselves, whether as an athlete, coach, official, parent, volunteer, educator or health care provider.

Help connect someone to parasport or find a local parasport club in your area by visiting Paralympic.ca/getinvolved.

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee

The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, private organization with 46 member sports 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.

Follow the Canadian Paralympic Committee:
www.paralympic.ca
www.facebook.com/CDNParalympics
www.twitter.com/CDNParalympics
www.youtube.com/CDNParalympics

SOURCE: CANADIAN PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE (CPC)

Alison Korn
Manager, Media Relations
Canadian Paralympic Committee
Tel: [phone] ext. 243
Cell: 613-298-4927
[email protected]

Mark Dottori
Director, Communications and Marketing
Canadian Paralympic Committee
Tel: [phone] ext. 242
Cell: 613-294-5961
[email protected]