February 23, 2016
CHEF DE MISSION CHANTAL PETITCLERC CONTINUES CANADIAN TOUR IN TORONTO TO PROMOTE PARALYMPIC SPORT ON THE ROAD TO RIO 2016
Canadian Paralympic Committee- Petitclerc to connect with local athletes training for Rio
TORONTO, February 22, 2016 – Chantal Petitclerc, Canada’s Chef de Mission for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, will continue her Canadian Tour on Friday, February 26 with a stop in Toronto to promote Paralympic sport and local athletes on the road to Rio.
Toronto will be Petitclerc’s third stop in a national tour that brought her to Ottawa/Gatineau in December and Calgary in January.
In Toronto, Petitclerc will cheer on a wheelchair basketball demonstration by members of Canada’s national teams and meet with local Rio 2016 hopefuls :
– Wheelchair basketball player Melanie Hawtin, of Oakville, Ont., a silver medallist at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games and a 2014 world championship gold medallist;
– Jason Roberts, of Toronto, Ont., a gold medallist in shot put at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games and a 2015 world championship bronze medallist in discus;
– Both Hawtin and Roberts are aiming to make their Paralympic Games debuts in Rio.
Media are invited to the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre Field House for photo, video and interview opportunities – and the chance to try wheelchair basketball.
| WHAT |
Interview and photo/video opportunities
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| WHO |
Chantal Petitclerc, Canada’s Chef de Mission for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games
Jason Roberts (para-athletics), Toronto 2015 Parapan Am Games gold medallist
Melanie Hawtin (wheelchair basketball), Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games silver medallist
Additional special guests including Olympian Curt Harnett (cycling)
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| WHEN |
Friday, February 26, 2016
12 :30 – 1 :00 p.m. B-roll and action photos of national wheelchair basketball team members
1 :00 to 2 :00 p.m. Welcome from Chantal Petitclerc, interview and photo opportunities, chance to try wheelchair basketball
|
| WHERE |
Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, Field House
875 Morningside Avenue, Toronto, Ont. M1C 0C7
Parking: South Parking
Entrance: Main Lobby (south end of the building)
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Petitclerc’s cross-country tour will encompass eight Canadian cities until June 2016, aiming to build awareness of Canadian Paralympic athletes. Petitclerc, a five-time Paralympian and 14-time Paralympic gold medallist in wheelchair racing, knows that community support is crucial to every athlete’s success.
For more information and/or to arrange interviews, please contact :
|
Marie-Anik L’Allier
ma@malallier.com
B. (514) 507-6299
C. (514) 983-8236
|
Camille Asselin
camille@malallier.com
B. (514) 507-6299
|
ONSITE :
Alison Korn, Canadian Paralympic Committee :
Cell: 613-298-4927 / akorn@paralympic.ca
About the Canadian Paralympic Committee
The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, private organization with 27 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
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Alison Korn
Senior Manager, Media Relations and Communications
Canadian Paralympic Committee
Phone: 613-569-4333 ext. 243
Cell: 613-298-4927
akorn@paralympic.ca
Martin Richard
Executive Director, Communications and Marketing
Canadian Paralympic Committee
Cell: 613-725-4339
mrichard@paralympic.ca