Canadian Paralympic Committee seeking Canada's next Paralympians in Victoria and Montréal

- Paralympian Search events look to discover new Paralympic hopefuls
- Athletes will test their potential to excel in Paralympic sports
- Paralympic medallists Mollie Jepsen and Alex Dupont to act as ambassadors

OTTAWA, May 17, 2018 /CNW/ - The Canadian Paralympic Committee will be on the lookout for Canada's next great athletes with two Paralympian Search events heading to Victoria and Montreal on May 26 and June 9.  

The Canadian Paralympic Committee will be on the lookout for Canada’s next great athletes with two Paralympian Search events heading to Victoria and Montreal on May 26 and June 9. (CNW Group/Canadian Paralympic Committee (Sponsorships))

Paralympian Search is an athlete identification event aimed at testing participant aptitudes to excel in various Paralympic sports and discovering athletes with high development potential. The one-day event welcomes all athletes ages 14-35 with a physical or visual disability, including those who are brand new to sport and those who are looking to transfer into a new sport. Participants will go through a series of physical tests and discover in which sports they may have the most potential to compete.

The first Paralympian Search of 2018 will be held in partnership with Canadian Sport Institute Pacific on May 26 at its Victoria campus. Mollie Jepsen, one of the breakout stars of the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in March will be the event's athlete ambassador, providing assistance and advice to participants. Jepsen won a gold, silver, and two bronze medals in Para alpine skiing in PyeongChang at the age of 18.

"Being a Paralympian is one of my greatest achievements, and I'm excited to have the chance to potentially introduce new athletes to Paralympic sport," said Jepsen. "It should be a great day of activities and hopefully one day someone from the event can join us at the Paralympic Games."

Institut national du sport du Québec will co-host Paralympian Search in Montreal on June 9. Wheelchair racer Alex Dupont will be on-hand as ambassador. A bronze medallist in the 4x400m relay at Rio 2016, Dupont is a two-time Paralympian.

"Having the access and opportunity to participate in sport is so important for people with disabilities," said Dupont. "Paralympian Search is a great event to not only discover high-potential athletes but provide resources for people to continue being active. Every Paralympian has a unique story – I decided to try wheelchair racing after seeing it on TV during the Athens Paralympics, and I hope to help others reach their dreams as well."

For more information about Paralympian Search and to register for the upcoming Victoria and Montreal events, please visit: Paralympic.ca/paralympiansearch.

SOURCE Canadian Paralympic Committee (Sponsorships)

MEDIA CONTACTS: Nicole Watts, Manager, Public Relations, Canadian Paralympic Committee, [email protected] / 613-569-4333 ext. 262; Noah Wheelock, Manager, Communications, Canadian Sport Institute Pacific, [email protected] / 250-220-2534; Evelyne Déry, Coordinator, Communications, Institut national du sport du Québec, [email protected] / 514-255-1000 ext. 243