After nominating 22 swimmers to the Paralympic team in May following the conclusion of the Olympic & Paralympic Swimming Trials, Presented by Bell, in Toronto, Swimming Canada is pleased to announce the full staff selected for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games (Aug. 28-Sept. 8).
A total of 17 staff members – 15 accredited and two in Canada – will support Canada’s Para swimmers in the City of Lights, with another two attending the team’s staging camp in Vichy, France (Aug. 13-24).
Leading the way are team leader J-P Lavoie, Swimming Canada’s Interim Technical and Program Lead, Paralympic Program, and head coach Martin Gingras.
Gingras joined Swimming Canada as National Coach, Programming and Coach Development last October after serving for a decade as head coach of the Pointe Claire Swim Club. His extensive international coaching experience includes, among others, world, Pan Pacific, Pan American and FISU championships.
Joining Gingras on the pool deck in Paris will be group coaches Ryan Allen (Club de natation Bleu et Or), Haley Bennett-Osborne (Red Deer Catalina Swim Club), Simon Deguire (High Performance Centre – Quebec), Ryan Jones (Saskatoon Laser Swim Club), Jy Lawrence (Pacific Sea Wolves) and Marc-André Pelletier (Club de natation Région de Québec).
A trio of team managers will support Lavoie in overseeing day-to-day operations, including Stephanie Matthews, Marika Kay and Maxime McLean.
“I’m very excited about the team we have assembled for this summer’s Paralympic Games,” said Lavoie. “Having set such a high standard to make the team, we can be confident that this is one the strongest swim teams Canada has selected for the Paralympic Games in many years.
“Each of the swimmers and coaches who represent us in Canada are here thanks to the tireless and often un-seen work and support from communities across Canada. From parents, siblings and loved ones to medical and therapy experts, we acknowledge and thank everyone who has played a role.”
In addition to the staff headed to France later this month, Lavoie highlighted the work of three individuals who played a key role in supporting athletes and coaches during the current Paralympic cycle, namely Wayne Lomas, former Swimming Canada Associate Director of High Performance and Para Swimming National Coach, Janet Dunn, Swimming Canada’s Para Swimming Performance Pathway Coach and National Classification Lead, as well as Mike Edey, Swimming Canada’s Manager, Pathway Systems and Classification, Paralympic Program.
“The work that Janet and Mike did over the past three-plus years in classification and working tirelessly with new Para swimmers and their coaches across the country has been instrumental to the program’s development and ongoing success,” Lavoie said.
The Canadian Para swimming program is coming off one of its best ever world championships last summer in Manchester, England, claiming 19 medals, nine of them gold.
At the last Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Canada’s Para swimmers captured eight of the nation’s 21 total medals – three gold, three silver and two bronze, led by Aurélie Rivard’s five podiums (2-1-2) and Danielle Dorris’ two (1-1-0).
Rivard of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, who has captured a remarkable 10 medals and five titles across three previous Paralympic Games appearances, was one of three long-time national team members named captains of the Paris 2024 squad that includes 12 Games veterans and 10 rookies.
Also meriting the honour were Katarina Roxon of Kippens, N.L., the longest-serving member of the team who will be making history in Paris by competing in her fifth Games, the most ever by a Canadian female Para swimmer, and Nicolas-Guy Turbide of Quebec City, who made his Paralympic debut at Rio 2016.
“I’m truly humbled to be named as one of the team captains heading into my fifth Paralympic Games,” said Roxon, the 2016 Paralympic champion in the 100-m breaststroke SB8. “I’m honoured that my teammates have put their faith and trust in me, placing me in this position to co-lead the team into and through Paris 2024!”
“It’s an honour to be named by my teammates,” added Turbide, a two-time Paralympic medallist in the 100 backstroke S13. “I had the chance to have tremendous mentors on the team when I first started, who did everything they could to help me and made me feel like I was part of the family from day one.
“That was probably the best thing that happened to me early in my career, and now to have the chance to do that for my teammates, especially the younger generation, is the best thing I can think of.”
Para swimming races in Paris will run from Aug. 29-Sept. 7 at La Défense Arena.
As the official broadcaster of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, CBC/Radio-Canada will provide extensive coverage across its multiple platforms, showcasing the performances of Paralympians to audiences nationwide. Audiences can tune in for CBC/Radio-Canada’s coverage of Paris 2024 from August 28 to September 8 on CBC, CBC Gem, CBC’s Paris 2024 website (cbc.ca/paris2024) and the CBC Paris 2024 app in English and on ICI TÉLÉ, ICI TOU.TV, Radio-Canada.ca/paris2024, and on the Radio-Canada Paralympiques app in French.
Canadian para swimming team – Paris 2024 Paralympic Games
Paris 2024 Accredited Staff
- Team Leader: J-P Lavoie
- Head Coach: Martin Gingras
- Competition Team Manager: Stephanie Matthews
- Village Team Manager: Marika Kay
- Village Team Manager: Maxime McLean
- Coach 1: Marc-André Pelletier
- Coach 2: Ryan Jones
- Coach 3: Ryan Allen
- Coach 4: Haley Bennett-Osborne
- Coach 5: Jy Lawrence
- Coach 6: Simon Deguire
- Team Doctor: Dr. Andréane Bourgeois
- Physiotherapist: Katie Smith
- Massage Therapist: Jessica Sears
- Media Attaché: Michel Bélanger
Canada based Paris 2024 Support Staff
- Mental Performance: Jonathan Lasnier *
- Race Analysis: Evelyne Dubé
* Also on site at staging camp
Staging Camp Only
- Coach: Dave Tontini
- Strength & Conditioning Coach: Alexandre Clark
Athletes
| Name | Club | Personal Coach | Hometown |
| Abi Tripp | Club de natation Région de Québec | Marc-André Pelletier | Kingston, ON |
| Alexander Elliot | Club de natation Région de Québec | Marc-André Pelletier | Kitchener, ON |
| Aly van Wyck-Smart | Whitby Swimming | Oliver Renaud | Toronto, ON |
| Arianna Hunsicker | Club de natation Rouge et Or/Université Laval (HPC- Quebec) | Simon Deguire | Surrey, BC |
| Aurélie Rivard | Club de natation Région de Québec | Marc-André Pelletier | Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC |
| Clémence Paré | Club de natation SAMAK de Brossard (HPC- Quebec) | Simon Deguire | Boucherville, QC |
| Danielle Dorris | Club De Natation Bleu Et Or | Ryan Allen | Moncton, NB |
| Emma Grace Van Dyk | Brock Niagara Aquatics | Dave Ling | Port Colborne, ON |
| Fernando Lu | Olympians Swimming | Ryan Skomorowski | Burnaby, BC |
| Hannah Ouellette | Saskatoon Laser Swim Club | Ryan Jones | Saskatoon, SK |
| Katarina Roxon | Aqua Aces Swim Club | Leonard Roxon | Kippens, NL |
| Jamie (Katie) Cosgriffe | Oakville Aquatic Club | Dave Tontini | Burlington, ON |
| Mary Jibb | Muskoka Aquatic Club | Heather Lee | Bracebridge, ON |
| Nicholas Bennett | Red Deer Catalina Swim Club | Haley Bennett-Osborne | Parksville, BC |
| Nicolas-Guy Turbide | Club de natation Région de Québec | Marc-André Pelletier | Quebec City, QC |
| Nikita Ens | Saskatoon Laser Swim Club | Ryan Jones | Meadow Lake, SK |
| Philippe Vachon | Club de natation Mégophias de Trois- Rivières | Charles Labrie | Blainville, QC |
| Reid Maxwell | Edmonton Keyano Swim Club | Paul Birmingham | St. Albert, AB |
| Sabrina Duchesne | Club de natation Rouge et Or/Université Laval | Emmanuel Verge | Saint-Augustin, QC |
| Sebastian Massabie | Pacific Sea Wolves | Jy Lawrence | Surrey, BC |
| Shelby Newkirk | Saskatoon Laser Swim Club | Ryan Jones | Saskatoon, SK |
| Tess Routliffe | Club de natation Rouge et Or/Université Laval (HPC- Quebec) | Simon Deguire | Caledon, ON |