Media Advisory/Photo Opportunity - Athletes to mark 100 days to Parapan American Games with coast-to-coast media availability

OTTAWA, April 26, 2015 /CNW/ - With the 100 days to go date quickly approaching for the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games – this coming Wed. April 29 – select Canadian athletes training for the Games will be available for interviews in their hometowns and/or training locations to talk about the upcoming Games and their preparations.

Chef de Mission Elisabeth Walker-Young (Vancouver) and Assistant Chef de Mission Stephanie Dixon (Whitehorse) are also available to offer an overall Team Canada perspective.

To arrange interviews, please contact the Canadian Paralympic Committee's Alison Korn at [email protected] / cell 613-298-4927.

NAME	SPORT	CITY on Apr. 29	LANGUAGE
Elisabeth Walker-Young	Chef de Mission (Paralympic swimmer)	Vancouver (hometown is Toronto, childhood in Northern Ont.)	bilingual
Stephanie Dixon	Assistant Chef de Mission  (Paralympic swimmer)	Whitehorse (originally from Brampton, Ont.)	English
Jose Rebelo	Sitting Volleyball	Montreal	bilingual
Ian Kent	Table tennis	Halifax	English
Doug Ripley	Goalball	Vancouver / New Westminster, B.C.	English
Priscilla Gagné	Judo	Ottawa (hometown is Sarnia, Ont., born in Granby Que.)	bilingual
Tony Walby	Judo	Ottawa	English
Justin Karn	Judo	Montreal (born in Guelph, Ont.)	English
Aurelie Rivard	Swimming	Montreal / St-Jean-sur- Richelieu	bilingual
Nathan Stein	Swimming	Vancouver	English
Katarina Roxon	Swimming	St. John's, Newfoundland	English
Benoit Huot	Swimming	Toronto (from Longeuil, Que., resident of St-Lambert, Que.)	bilingual
Bo Hedges	Wheelchair basketball men	Toronto (lives in Wonowon, B.C; born in Fort St. John BC)	English
Melanie Hawtin	Wheelchair basketball women	Toronto (from Oakville)	English
Men/Women	Wheelchair basketball national teams	Training at Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, Scarborough Ont. B-roll opportunity	bilingual
Becky Richter	Athletics (throws, wheelchair racing)	Saskatoon, Sask.	English
Robbi Weldon	Cycling	From Thunder Bay, will be in Sherbrooke, Que for race	English
Charles Moreau	Cycling	From Victoriaville, will be in Sherbrooke, Que for race	bilingual

BACKGROUNDER: ABOUT TEAM CANADA AT THE PARAPAN AMERICAN GAMES

The Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games run August 7 to 15, 2015 and will feature 1,608 athletes from 28 countries competing in 15 sports. All Parapan Am sports contested in Toronto will be qualifying opportunities for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Team Canada is expected to comprise approximately 220 athletes competing in 14 sports: Archery, Athletics, Boccia, Cycling – Road, Cycling – Track, Football 7-a-side, Goalball, Judo, Powerlifting, Sitting Volleyball, Swimming, Table Tennis, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Rugby, Wheelchair Tennis.

In consultation with performance partners, the Canadian Paralympic Committee has set a goal of placing in the top three nations in total medal count in Toronto.

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee

The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, private organization with 25 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 high performance athletes with a disability 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

Follow the Canadian Paralympic Committee:
www.paralympic.ca
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SOURCE Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC)

Alison Korn, Senior Manager, Media Relations and Communications, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Phone: [phone] ext. 243, Cell: 613-298-4927, [email protected]; Martin Richard, Executive Director, Communications and Marketing, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Tel: [phone] ext. 224, Cell: 613-725-4339, [email protected]