The Canadian Paralympic team in London is getting a big boost from Canada's western-most province, with British Columbia-born or-trained athletes making up 29 per cent of the team.

Of the 42 athletes B.C. is sending, 38 were born and raised here, while the other four have received substantial training support through the B.C. sport system. B.C. Paralympians in London will be competing in 18 different sports.

British Columbia is also sending a strong contingent of coaches, technical staff, medical and administrative team members, as well as athlete support personnel who call British Columbia home.

Kelowna wheelchair rugby athlete Garett Hickling will magnify British Columbia's presence at the Opening Ceremony. In addition to his role as a competitor, Hickling has the honour of leading the Canadian Paralympic team as flag-bearer.

Quotes:

Ida Chong, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development -

"B.C. athletes have historically done exceedingly well at the Paralympic Games, and, once again, our province is well-represented on the Canadian Paralympic team. B.C. athletes make up well over a quarter of the team, which - in itself - is something to be proud of. I know that all British Columbians join me in wishing our Paralympians the very best at the London Games."

Wendy Pattenden, CEO, Canadian Sport Centre Pacific -

"For a province that represents only 13 per cent of our national population, we are proud of the fact that B.C. will be sending almost 30 per cent of the athletes who make up the 2012 Paralympic team. Canadian Sport Centre Pacific congratulates the athletes, coaches and support staff preparing to compete at the 2012 Paralympic Games, and we are certain British Columbians will be inspired and enthralled by the athletic excellence on display over the next two weeks."

Quick Facts:

• 147 athletes make up the Canadian Paralympic team.
• 29 per cent of the athletes representing Canada were either born in, or train in, British Columbia.
• 45 coaches and technical staff lead the Canadian Paralympic team in London.
• Of those, 24 per cent are from B.C.
• 27 medical staff are supporting the Canadian Paralympic team.
  
• Of those, 15 per cent are from B.C.
• 19 athlete support personnel play key roles with the Canadian Paralympic team during the event competitions.
• Of those, 21 per cent are from B.C.

Learn More:

Canadian Sport Centre Pacific: http://www.cscpacific.ca/

Canadian Paralympic Team: http://www.paralympic.ca/

A backgrounder follows.

Contacts:

Jeff Rud
Communications Director
Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development
250 953-3677
250 208-4028 (cell)

Scott Allen
Manager, Communications and Community Engagement
Canadian Sport Centre Pacific
778 327-4096
604 730-9625
sallen@cscpacific.ca

BACKGROUNDER

Aug. 28, 2012 Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development

Canadian Sport Centre Pacific

British Columbia-linked athletes on the Canadian Paralympic team

Sport

Name (Event) Hometown [Training Town if different]

Archery

Kevin Evans (Men's Compound Open) Jaffray

Athletics

Michelle Stilwell (T52 - 100 m, 200m) Nanoose Bay

Nathan Dewitt (T34 - 100m, 200m) Surrey

Braedon Dolfo (T13 - 100m, 200m; T11-13 - 4 x 100m) Langley

Dustin Walsh (T11 - 400m; T11-13 - 4 x 100m) Coquitlam

Boccia

Paul Gauthier (Mixed Pairs, Mixed Individual) Vancouver

Monica Martino (Mixed Pairs, Mixed Individual) Vancouver

Josh Vander Vies (Mixed Pairs, Mixed Individual) Sarnia, Ont. [Vancouver]

Equestrian

Lauren Barwick (Equestrian) Aldergrove

Ashley Gowanlock (Equestrian) Surrey

Eleonore Elstone (Equestrian) Langley

Goalball (Men's)

Ahmed Zeividavi, Vancouver

Doug Ripley, Powell River

Brendan Gaulin, Montreal [Vancouver]

Goalball (Women's)

Ashlie Andrews, Penticton

Judo

Timothy Rees (100 kg) Waterloo/Kingston, Ont. [Victoria]

Rowing

Joan Reid (Single Scull Fixed Seat) Enderby

Tony Theriault (Mixed Coxed Four) Nanaimo

Meghan Montgomery (Mixed Coxed Four) Victoria

Sailing

Bruce Millar (Three Person Keel Boat - Sonar class) Victoria

John McRoberts (Two Person Mixed Boat - SKUD) Victoria

Stacie Louttit (Two Person Mixed Boat - SKUD) Victoria

Shooting

Christos Trifonidis (SH1 - 10m Air Rifle Prone, 50m Air Rifle Prone) Vancouver

Doug Blessin (SH2 - 10m Air Rifle Standing, 10m Air Rifle Prone) Port Coquitlam

Swimming

Brianna Nelson (S7 - 100 Back, 50 Fly, 100 Breast, 200 IM, 400 free, 100 Free, 50 Free) Victoria

Jana Murphy (S14 - 100 Back, 100 Breast, 200 Free) Victoria

Sarah Mehain (S7 - 100 Back, 50 Fly, 100 Breast, 200 IM, 100 Free, 50 Free) Vernon

Nathan Stein (S10 - 100 Fly, 100 Breast, 100 Free, 50 Free) Maple Ridge

Donovan Tildesley (S11 - 100 Back, 100 Fly, 200 IM, 100 Free) Vancouver

Scott Patterson (S5 - 100 Breast) Vancouver

Brian Hill (S13 - 100 Fly, 100 Back) Duncan [Montreal, QC]

Wheelchair Basketball (Men's)

Robert (Bo) Hedges, Wonowon [Burnaby]

Richard Peter, Duncan [Vancouver]

Wheelchair Basketball (Women's)

Jessica Vliegenthart, Kamloops [Victoria]

Elisha Williams, Prince George [Tuscaloosa, Ala.]

Janet McLachlan, West Vancouver [Trier, Germany]

Wheelchair Rugby

Garett Hickling, Kelowna

Trevor Hirschfield, Parksville

Ian Chan, Vancouver

Travis Murao, Richmond

Fabien Lavoie, Quebec City [Vancouver]

B.C.-based coaches, support staff and athlete personnel support staff at the 2012 London Paralympic Summer Games

Name (Position), Sport, Hometown

Coaches and technical

Vladimir Kopecky (coach) Archery, Kimberly

Robert Lebel (coach) Goalball, Vancouver

Martin George (assistant coach) Rowing, Vernon

Laurier Primeau (head coach) Athletics, Burnaby

Lewis Bevan (mechanic) Cycling, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales

Andrea Taylor (head coach) Equestrian, Surrey

Erik Stibbe (assistant coach) Sailing, Vancouver

Marni Abbott-Peter (assistant coach) Wheelchair Basketball, Enderby

Craig McCord (head coach) Swimming, Richmond

Reginald Shaw (coach) Swimming, Mission

Medical

Kim Oslund (athletic therapist) Wheelchair Rugby, Victoria

Yvonne Visser (team therapist) Athletics, Nanaimo

Bruce Pinel (sport psychologist) Wheelchair Rugby, Victoria

Nancy Wong (physiologist) Wheelchair Rugby, Nanaimo

Administration

Elisabeth Walker-Young (assistant chef de mission) CPC, Victoria

Judy Joseph-Black (communications) CPC, Gabriola Island

Rob Needham (executive director, sport) CPC, Vancouver

Keith Wells (videographer) CPC, Victoria

Mike Lonergan (team manager) Goalball, New Westminster

Bob Hirschfield (equipment manager) Wheelchair Rugby, Parksville

Andy Van Neutegem (manager) Wheelchair Rugby, Victoria

Athlete support personnel

Benson Au (assistant), Boccia, Richmond

Carrie McKellar (assistant), Boccia, Vancouver

Dalia Mykolaitiene (assistant) Boccia, Vancouver

Dylan Williamson (guide) Athletics, Langley

Contacts:

Jeff Rud
Communications Director
Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development
250 953-3677
250 208-4028 (cell)

Scott Allen
Manager, Communications and Community Engagement
Canadian Sport Centre Pacific
778 327-4096
604 730-9625
sallen@cscpacific.ca