United States Olympic Committee (USOC) impressed with progress to date on TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games

TORONTO, July 31, 2013 /CNW/ - With less than two years to go until the start of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games, many of the best summer athletes from the United States are getting ready to come north to compete in Toronto, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) said today.

"The TORONTO 2015 Games are really taking shape," said Alan Ashley, chief of sport performance for the USOC and chef de mission for Team USA at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

"We were impressed when we saw the venues and where TO2015 is at with its plans. You get a real sense of how great a Games this is going to be in less than two years. Athletes from the U.S. are certainly excited about the opportunity to compete in Toronto."

For the last two days, Ashley has led a delegation from the USOC on a fact-finding visit to the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015). This is the first of several visits to Toronto by the USOC ahead of the Pan Am/Parapan Am Games.

The USOC has historically brought the largest team to the Games and has a strong history of success.  The country has topped the medal table in all but two editions of the Pan American Games since they started in 1951.

The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games, which start July 10, 2015, will involve approximately 6,000 athletes, from 41 nations in the Americas and Caribbean competing in 36 sports. An additional 1,500 athletes will compete in the 2015 Parapan Am Games, starting on August 7, 2015. They will be the largest Parapan Am Games ever held.

The USOC's Alan Ashley is available for phone interviews at the conclusion of the visit on July 31.

SOURCE: Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games

For further information:

Mark Jones
Senior Director of Communications, USOC
C: 719.358.3287
[e-mail]

Chelsey Gotell
Communications Coordinator, TO2015
C: 647.205.7091
[e-mail]