TORONTO (July 13, 2023) – On Wednesday, the Canadian Olympic Foundation (COF) announced the appointment of four-time Olympian and philanthropist Bruny Surin to its Board of Directors. Surin will replace Olympian Mark Tewksbury, who has completed his term.
Surin has been a leader in Canadian sport for more than three decades. He represented Canada at four Olympic Games, and won a gold medal as part of the legendary mens’ 4x100m relay team at Atlanta 1996. He jointly holds the Canadian record of 9.84 seconds in the 100m sprint, which he ran at the 1999 World Athletics Championships.
Surin is also Team Canada’s Chef de Mission for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a role he has accepted with pride and enthusiasm.
“I am honoured to join the COF Board of Directors,” said Surin. “Team Canada has always been my home. After arriving in Montreal from Haiti, sport completely changed my life. I’ve been working hard to give back to the community that has given me so much, and I can’t wait to accomplish even more with the Canadian Olympic Foundation, and help give more young athletes the opportunity to achieve their Olympic dreams.”
Even more than his athletic accomplishments, Surin brings a true passion for sport to this new role with the COF, as well as a commitment to supporting young athletes. In 2002, he founded the Bruny Surin Foundation, which has since awarded more than $2-million in scholarships to support student athletes, training camps, and promoting healthy and active lifestyles to youth.
“We are thrilled to have Bruny join us at the Foundation,” said Jacqueline Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of the COF and Chief of Brand and Commercial Officer of the Canadian Olympic Committee. “Not only is he one of Canada’s all-time great Olympic athletes, he is a dedicated champion of the Olympic Movement and a passionate advocate for youth in sport. I am so looking forward to working alongside him as we continue to activate on the Team Canada Impact Agenda and transform Canada through the power of sport.
I would also like to thank Mark Tewksbury for his passionate contribution to the Canadian Olympic Foundation. He is one of the most ardent champions for the power of sport in this country, and we know he will continue to support the Foundation and Team Canada through his many other roles.”
“I could not be more excited to have Bruny Surin join the Foundation’s Board of Directors,” said Perry Dellelce, Chair of the Canadian Olympic Foundation Board of Directors. “Bruny represents everything we stand for at Team Canada. His passion for sport and its power to transform lives is evident in everything he does, and I can’t wait to watch him make his mark alongside us at the Foundation. Welcome Bruny!”
Surin is a recipient of both the Diamond Jubilee Medal of Queen Elizabeth II and the Ordre national du Québec in recognition of his career and sizeable impact on youth in sport. He is an appointee of the Order of Canada, and a member of the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
Surin joins a dedicated team of individuals on the COF Board of Directors, all of whom are listed on the Foundation’s website here.
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