Canada’s Paralympians are here: 128 athletes named to Canadian roster for Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

OTTAWA – Canada’s Paralympians are ready for their moment in the spotlight. A total of 128 athletes, including guides, have been officially named to the Tokyo 2020 Canadian Paralympic Team, the Canadian Paralympic Committee confirmed today. The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games kick off in just over two weeks on August 24 and run through September 5.  

Canada will be competing in 18 sports in Tokyo: wheelchair basketball (23 athletes), Para swimming (19), Para athletics (16), wheelchair rugby (12), sitting volleyball (11), Para cycling (9), Para rowing (7), goalball (6), boccia (4), Para equestrian (4), Para triathlon (4), wheelchair fencing (4), Para canoe (3), Shooting Para sport (2), Para archery (1), Para badminton (1), Para judo (1), and wheelchair tennis (1).  

The team will be supported in Tokyo by 113 coaches and support staff. 

CLICK HERE for the complete Canadian Paralympic Team list. 

CLICK HERE to access bios of each athlete named to the Canadian Paralympic Team. 

“Congratulations to each and every athlete selected to represent Canada in Tokyo,” said Stephanie Dixon, chef de mission, Tokyo 2020 Canadian Paralympic Team. “Canada’s Paralympians are absolute stars – they are among the best athletes in the world, and I can’t wait for their incredible hard work, talent, dedication, and perseverance to be celebrated across Canada.

“It has been a challenging 18 months preparing for these Games. For some athletes, this will be their first international competition in nearly two years. It is a huge accomplishment to compete at these Paralympic Games, and everyone has been working so hard for this opportunity. I know we will see some remarkable performances in Tokyo and hear about some equally remarkable stories. I can’t wait to cheer on all 128 Canadian athletes at the Games knowing that millions of Canadians will be cheering for them back at home!”

About the Tokyo 2020 Canadian Paralympic Team: 

•    Canada has qualified five teams (women’s goalball, women’s sitting volleyball, wheelchair rugby, women’s wheelchair basketball, men’s wheelchair basketball)

•    55.5 per cent of the team is comprised of female athletes (71 female, 57 male) 

•    Para badminton is making its Paralympic Games debut in Tokyo, with Olivia Meier set to become the first Canadian Paralympian in the sport  

•    Two Paralympians are making their Games debuts in new sports: Jessica Tuomela (Para triathlon, previously Para swimming) and Lyne Tremblay (Shooting Para sport, previously Para archery) 

•    The oldest member of the team is Ruth Sylvie Morel at age 64 (wheelchair fencing) while the youngest is Nicholas Bennett at 17 (Para swimming) 

•    55 athletes will be making their Paralympic debuts, with the youngest being 17-year-old Nicholas Bennett (Para swimming) and the oldest being Winona Hartvikson (Para equestrian) at age 62

•    73 athletes have Paralympic experience, including 68 athletes who are returning from the Rio 2016 team 

•    Two athletes are set to make their sixth Paralympic Games appearances: Karen Van Nest (Para archery; she also competed in three Games in Shooting Para sport) and Patrice Simard (wheelchair rugby). An additional six athletes will be competing at their fifth Paralympic Games: Brent Lakatos (Para athletics), Lauren Barwick (Para equestrian), Cindy Ouellet (wheelchair basketball; also competed in 2018 in Para nordic skiing), Patrick Anderson (wheelchair basketball), Fabien Lavoie (wheelchair rugby), and Mike Whitehead (wheelchair rugby)

•    A total of 26 athletes are Paralympic medallists. Brent Lakatos (Para athletics) leads the way with seven medals while Aurelie Rivard (Para swimming) has five Paralympic medals

•    11 provinces and territories are represented by the Canadian team: Ontario (42 athletes), Quebec (28), British Columbia (21), Alberta (20), Saskatchewan (7), New Brunswick (4), PEI (1), Yukon (1), Nova Scotia (1), Newfoundland & Labrador (1), and Manitoba (1), with an additional overseas athlete

•    Two athletes have participated in Paralympian Search, an event held to introduce Paralympic sport to more people and discover athletes with high performance potential. Charlotte Bolton (Para athletics) and Andrea Nelson (Para canoe) both attended the 2017 Toronto edition and will become the first two athletes from a Paralympian Search event to compete at a Paralympic Games

Audiences across the country will be able to watch their favourite athletes compete and discover their new Paralympic heroes with comprehensive coverage. Paralympic.ca will be the hub of all things Canadian Paralympic Team, while live coverage will be available from the Canadian Paralympic Media Consortium, including broadcast partners CBC/Radio-Canada, AMI, and Sportsnet, and digital partners Twitter, Facebook, and MXZN. The complete broadcast schedule, which will include primetime coverage for the first time, and details on how to watch will be announced closer to the start of the Games.