Canadian Paralympic Committee launches ParaTough Team Canada brand campaign for Rio 2016

Fans are invited to take the #ParaToughChallenge at ParaTough.com

OTTAWA, July 26, 2016 /CNW/ - Aiming to build awareness of Canada's athletes headed to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, the Canadian Paralympic Committee, in partnership with BBDO Canada, today launched its innovative Team Canada Rio 2016 brand campaign, the ParaTough Training Series – featuring the first workout series led entirely by Canadian Paralympians.

The campaign lets fans experience firsthand the intense and grueling training done by some of Canada's toughest Paralympic athletes. The ParaTough Training Series, now available online at ParaTough.com, features 14 Rio-bound Paralympians showcasing five authentic, challenging workouts that they do regularly in order to compete at the elite level – and fans are invited to follow along and try to keep up.

Wheelchair basketball star Cindy Ouellet, for example, showcases her tremendous upper body strength by pounding out one-arm chin ups while in her wheelchair, using it as an extra 20-pound weight.

"Doing this series was a fantastic opportunity to show Canadians how hard our team has been training for Rio," said Ouellet. "I invite all Canadians to try the workouts themselves, and to take the #ParaToughChallenge by trying one of the exercises, posting it on social media, and then challenging your toughest friends to tackle it themselves."

The ParaTough Training Series includes:

• Upper body power training with four of Canada's Wheelchair Basketball Team members: Jamey Jewells, Cindy Ouellet, Nik Goncin and Katie Harnock;
• Core stability training with two members of Canada's Para-Swim Team: Benoît Huot and Aurélie Rivard;
• Explosive strength training with five players from Canada's Wheelchair Rugby Team: Zak Madell, Cody Caldwell, Trevor Hirschfeld, Miranda Biletski and Patrice Dagenais;
• High intensity cardio training with Ross Wilson of Canada's Para-Cycling Team;
• Resistance training with two throwers from Canada's Para-Athletics Team: Becky Richter and Pam LeJean.

"The amazing thing about these videos is they show the hard work that happens off the field of play," said Martin Richard, Executive Director, Marketing and Communications for the Canadian Paralympic Committee. "Sometimes when you see athletes competing on the field of play, they are so accomplished that they make it look easy. These training videos are anything but easy. Canadians can now see the behind the scenes training and incredible dedication that goes in to becoming a champion."

The campaign launches today and will be featured on TV, radio, print, digital and a dedicated website, ParaTough.com, where the workout videos are housed (available to users at no cost) and where users can get to know the athletes behind the training series.

BBDO Canada worked very closely with Paralympic athletes, coaches and trainers in each of the five sports to select the featured workouts.

"It was extremely important to us that the featured workouts be completely authentic to the athletes' actual training regimens for their respective sports," said Anand Iyer and Domenique Raso of BBDO Canada, official supplier and agency of record of the Canadian Paralympic Committee since 2010. "The training series offer an incredibly challenging full-body workout. We know the ParaTough Training Series will show people just how amazing our Canadian Paralympians are and inspire fans to cheer on the Canadian Paralympic Team as they compete in Rio in September."

Canadians taking the #ParaToughChallenge are also invited to text PARATOUGH to 45678 to give $5.00 to support Canada's future Paralympians.  

The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games will take place Sept. 7 to 18. Canada will send a team of approximately 160 athletes competing in 19 sports. Selection is ongoing and the full Canadian Paralympic Team will be officially announced later this summer.

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee: www.paralympic.ca 
About BBDO Canada: www.bbdo.ca

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

SOURCE Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC)

Video with caption: "ParaTough Training Series Preview". Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Acy3Oeb0Mcw

Video with caption: "Upper Body Power Training Video with Canada’s Wheelchair Basketball Teams". Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jznUTsH-Es8

Video with caption: "Core Stability Training Video with Canada’s Para-Swim Team". Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVOTSpdG8PM

Video with caption: "Explosive Strength Training Video with Canada’s Wheelchair Rugby Team". Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwSxIVtbXfQ

Video with caption: "High Intensity Cardio Training video with Canada’s Para-Cycling Team". Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6nn8yuJMAo

Video with caption: "Resistance Training with Canada’s Para-Athletics Team". Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTATqUiPYTY

Image with caption: "Becky Richter and Pam LeJean of para-athletics are featured in the ParaTough Training Series, the first workout series led entirely by Canadian Paralympians. Photo Credit: CPC/Tyler Gray/John Stevancec/Westside Studio (CNW Group/Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC))". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160726_C4186_PHOTO_EN_741826.jpg

Image with caption: "Wheelchair basketball players Jamey Jewells, Cindy Ouellet, Nik Goncin and Katie Harnock are featured in the ParaTough Training Series, the first workout series led entirely by Canadian Paralympians. Photo Credit: CPC/Tyler Gray/John Stevancec/Westside Studio (CNW Group/Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC))". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160726_C4186_PHOTO_EN_741828.jpg

Image with caption: "Wheelchair basketball player Cindy Ouellet is featured in the ParaTough Training Series, the first workout series led entirely by Canadian Paralympians. Photo Credit: CPC/Tyler Gray/John Stevancec/Westside Studio (CNW Group/Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC))". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160726_C4186_PHOTO_EN_741830.jpg

Image with caption: "Para-cyclist Ross Wilson is featured in the ParaTough Training Series, the first workout series led entirely by Canadian Paralympians. Photo Credit: CPC/Tyler Gray/John Stevancec/Westside Studio (CNW Group/Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC))". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160726_C4186_PHOTO_EN_741834.jpg

Image with caption: "Wheelchair rugby players Cody Caldwell, Miranda Biletski, Zak Madell, Trevor Hirschfeld and Patrice Dagenais are featured in the ParaTough Training Series, the first workout series led entirely by Canadian Paralympians. Photo Credit: CPC/Tyler Gray/John Stevancec/Westside Studio (CNW Group/Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC))". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160726_C4186_PHOTO_EN_741836.jpg

Image with caption: "Para-swimmers Aurélie Rivard and Benoît Huot are featured in the ParaTough Training Series, the first workout series led entirely by Canadian Paralympians. Photo Credit: CPC/Tyler Gray/John Stevancec/Westside Studio (CNW Group/Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC))". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160726_C4186_PHOTO_EN_741838.jpg

Image with caption: "Wheelchair rugby player Zak Madell is featured in the ParaTough Training Series, the first workout series led entirely by Canadian Paralympians. Photo Credit: CPC/Tyler Gray/John Stevancec/Westside Studio (CNW Group/Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC))". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160726_C4186_PHOTO_EN_741840.jpg

For further information: Alison Korn, Sr. Manager, Media Relations & Communications, Tel: [phone] ext. 243, / Cell: 613-298-4927, Email: [email protected]; Timothy Welsh, SVP, Business Development, BBDO Canada, Tel: [phone], / Cell: 647-998-4622, Email: [email protected]