Media release - Athletics Canada nominates 24 athletes to Team Canada for Rio 2016 Paralympic Games

OTTAWA, Aug. 11, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Athletics Canada and the Canadian Paralympic Committee have announced the nomination of 24 athletes for selection to Team Canada for this September's Paralympic Games in Rio.

The team is headlined by multiple Paralympic medallists Brent Lakatos of Dorval, Que., Michelle Stilwell of Parksville, B.C., and Diane Roy of Sherbrooke, Que., along with world champion Guillaume Ouellet of Victoriaville, Que.

"Our nominated athletes in para-athletics bring world-class accomplishments and exciting potential to the Rio 2016 Canadian Paralympic Team," said Team Canada's Chef de Mission Chantal Petitclerc. "I know that all our athletes and coaches are making the most of these final few weeks of preparation before the Games as they work towards a peak performance in Rio. I can't wait to cheer them on at the start line in September."

At the London 2012 Paralympic Games, Canada's athletics team won nine medals, led by Lakatos with three silvers (200-metres, 400-metres and 800-metres). The 36-year-old Lakatos has also earned 12 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Championship podiums (including seven golds) and three Parapan American Games gold medals.

"I can't wait for Rio," said Lakatos. "These are my fourth Paralympic Games, and each one has been so different. Athens was a blur, Beijing was bitter disappointment and London was my first taste of the podium. This will be the first time I head in as a favorite."

The team's lone gold medallist at London 2012, Michelle Stilwell won gold in the T52 classification wheelchair 200-metres and silver in the 100-metres. Jason Dunkerley and guide Josh Karanja of Ottawa, Ont., won silver in the T11 visually impaired 5000-metres and bronze in the 1500-metres. Guillaume Ouellet will make his Paralympic Games debut as the reigning world champion in the T13 classification 5000-metres, while Rio will mark Diane Roy's sixth Paralympic Games, an impressive career that has seen her win five Paralympic Games medals overall.

"Congratulations to all the athletes named today to Canada's athletics team bound for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games," said the Honorable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities. "Our Government is a proud supporter of Athletics Canada and our athletes should know that all Canadians are behind them as they go for gold in Brazil."

The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games are set for Sept. 7 to 18. The athletics competition takes place Sept. 8 through 18.

Athlete and coach biographies are available at Paralympic.ca/athletes. High resolution photos can be downloaded at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/a9j0jhke1nc80ms/AAD4Vr5pQDEha0PAxzDs0IAia?dl=0

The athletes nominated to the Canadian Paralympic Team are as follows:
Para-athletics team
Male athletes

Name	Hometown	Classification	Event(s)	Coach(es)
*Josh Cassidy	Port Elgin, ON	T54	800m/1500m/5000m	Jenny Archer/Amanda Fader
Mitchell Chase	Pickering, ON	T38	1500m	Craig Blackman
Shayne Dobson	Campbellton, NB	T37	1500m	Jean-Marc Doiron
*Jason Dunkerley	Ottawa, ON	T11	1500m	Ian Clark
*Alex Dupont	Clarenceville, QC	T54	400m/800m/1500m/4x400m	Rick Reelie
*Josh Karanja	Ottawa, ON		Guide runner for Jason Dunkerley	Ian Clark
*Brent Lakatos	Dorval, QC	T53	100m/400m/800m/4x400m
Jean-Philippe Maranda	Ste-Aurélie, QC	T53	100m/400m/800m/4x400m	Rick Reelie
*Alister McQueen	Calgary, AB	F44	Javelin	Kim Cousins
Guillaume Ouellet	Victoriaville, QC	T13	1500m/5000m	Félix-Antoine Lapointe
Austin Smeenk	Oakville, ON	T34	100m/800m	Ken Thom
Tristan Smyth	Maple Ridge, BC	T54	1500m/4x400m	Kelly Smith
Liam Stanley	Victoria, BC	T37	1500m	Bruce Deacon
Kevin Strybosch	London, ON	F37	Discus	John Allan
*Curtis Thom	Mississauga, ON	T54	400m/4x400m	Bob Schrader

Female athletes

Jenn Brown	Calgary, AB	F38	Discus	Kim Cousins
*Ilana Dupont	Saskatoon, SK	T53	100m/400m/800m	Rick Reelie
Eva Fejes	Salt Spring Island, BC		Sport assistant for Ness Murby
Renée Foessel	Orangeville, ON	F38	Discus	Ken Hall
Pamela LeJean	Cape Breton, NS	F53	Shot put	Ueli Albert
Ness Murby	Salt Spring Island, BC	F11	Discus	Sheldan Gmitroski
Marissa Papaconstantinou	Toronto, ON	T44	100m/200m	Geoff Standen
*Diane Roy	Sherbrooke, QC	T54	400m/800m/1500m/5000m	Jean Laroche
*Michelle Stilwell	Parksville, BC	T52	100m/400m	Peter Lawless

*Denotes previous Paralympic Games experience

The nominated athletes will be supported by the following staff:

Peter Eriksson	Ottawa, ON	Head Coach
Kristine Deacon	Cambridge, ON	Team Manager
Kayla Cornale	Toronto, ON	Assistant Manager
Ingrid Ruys	Sherwood Park, AB	Family & Friends Manager
Félix-Antoine Lapointe	Québec, QC	Coach – Endurance
Kim Cousins	Calgary, AB	Coach – Throws
John Allan	Toronto, ON	Coach – Throws
Kelly Smith	Lake Country, BC	Coach – Wheelchair
Rick Reelie	Saskatoon, SK	Coach – Wheelchair
Andrea Stephan	Toronto, ON	Physiotherapist
Duriell Bernard	Vancouver, BC	Chiropractor
Robert Lee	Toronto, ON	Massage Therapist
Alvin Bodnarchuk	Saskatoon, SK	Massage Therapist

About Athletics Canada: www.athletics.ca
About the Canadian Paralympic Committee: www.paralympic.ca

Follow the Canadian Paralympic Team:
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SOURCE Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC)

Image with caption: "Three-time Paralympic medallist Brent Lakatos of Dorval, Que. has been nominated for selection to Team Canada at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Photo: Matthew Murnaghan / Canadian Paralympic Committee (CNW Group/Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC))". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160811_C6569_PHOTO_EN_751199.jpg

Image with caption: "Michelle Stilwell (Parksville, B.C.) won gold and silver at London 2012 and has been nominated for selection to Team Canada at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Photo: Phillip MacCallum / Canadian Paralympic Committee (CNW Group/Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC))". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160811_C6569_PHOTO_EN_751201.jpg

Mathieu Gentès, Director, Corporate Services & Public Relations, Athletics Canada, Phone: [phone] x3303 / Mobile: [phone], Email [email protected]; Alison Korn, Senior Manager, Media Relations and Communications, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Tel: [phone] ext. 243 / Cell: 613-298-4927, Email: [email protected]