Para athletics team of 26 heading to Lima 2019 for Canada

OTTAWA – A total of 26 track and field athletes, including one guide, will be representing Canada at the Lima 2019 Parapan Am Games in Peru next month, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and Athletics Canada announced today.

The team is comprised of 19 men and seven women, with 15 athletes set to make their major Games debut in Lima. Eight athletes have Paralympic Games experience, including Rio 2016 competitors Jennifer Brown, Marissa Papaconstantinou, Liam Stanley, Mitchell Chase, Alister McQueen and Guillaume Ouellet. Stanley (T37 1,500-metres) and McQueen (F44 javelin) both came home with silver medals from the 2016 Games.

“This is the first Canadian team I’ve ever made, and I saw my mom and dad both make teams, so it is definitely a dream come true,” said Nathan Riech, the world record-holder in the T38 1,500-metres, who will be competing in his first Parapan Am Games. “This is something that I’ve really worked hard for and I’m really excited to represent Canada. I’m going there to win and trying to do it the best way I can. All I’m going to worry about is executing my race plan and hopefully I’ll come out on top.”

At the Toronto 2015 Parapan Am Games, Canada’s Para athletics team captured 43 medals, including 19 gold. Six members of that squad are returning to compete in Lima – gold medallists Mitchell Chase, Jennifer Brown, Josh Farrell and Guillaume Ouellet, as well as Ben Brown and Alister McQueen.

“The whole last year I’ve been injured, so to be able to be back in time for the Parapan Am Games after a year of injury is a big thing for me,” said Ouellet. “I will probably enjoy the experience more, to be able to run pain free and even just to run, I will just enjoy the process and everything more. It’s a big honour to be named to the team.”

“Congratulations to all of our driven and hard-working Para track and field athletes heading to Lima!” said Stephanie Dixon, chef de mission of the Canadian Parapan Am Team. “Para athletics is always one of the showcase events of the Games, and we have such a strong team of athletes who will be representing Canada with pride in Peru. I wish each and every one of them the best of luck on the field of play, and know that myself and the entire Canadian team will be cheering you on!”

Para athletics events at Lima 2019 will take place from August 24 to 28.

LIMA 2019 PARAPAN AM GAMES PARA ATHLETICS TEAM

NAME	EVENT	HOMETOWN	AGE	PERSONAL COACH
David Bambrick	F37 Shot put	Wolfville, N.S.	35	Jonathan Doucette
Michael Barber	T20 1500m	Victoria, B.C.	19	Bruce Deacon
Ben Brown	T53 100m	Cambridge, N.S.	31	Ueli Albert
Jennifer Brown*	F38 Discus	Calgary, Alta.	39	Kim Cousins
Mitchell Chase*	T38 1500m	Pickering, Ont.	22	Craig Blackman
Josh Farrell	F20 Shot put	Port Elgin, Ont.	34	Dylan Armstrong
Gaerrisen Freeland	T20 Long jump	Havelock, Ont.	26	Craig Blackman
Zachary Gingras	T38 400m	Markham, Ont.	18	Craig Blackman
Austin Ingram	T13 100m	Petawawa, Ont.	17	Julie Crouzat
David Johnson	T12 400m	Victoria, B.C.	20	Dacre Bowen
Michael Johnstone	T36 Long jump	Stratford, Ont.	31	Frank Erle
Ljiljana Ljubsic*	F11 Discus	Coquitlam, B.C.	58	Liudys Masso Beliser
Alister McQueen*	F64 Javelin	Calgary, Alta.	28	Kim Cousins
Sarah Mickey	F55 Discus	Medicine Hat, Alta.	21	Kim Cousins
Thomas Normandeau	T47 400m	Peace River, Alta.	23	Heather Hennigar
Harrison Orpe	F33 Shot put	Calgary, Alta.	24	Kim Cousins
Guillaume Ouellet*	T13 5000m	Victoriaville, Que.	32	Felix-Antoine Lapointe
Marissa Papaconstantinou*	T64 100m	Toronto, Ont.	19	Bob Westman
Adam Paul-Morris	Guide (for David Johnson)	Victoria, B.C.	27	Dacre Bowen
Nathan Riech	T38 1500m	Victoria, B.C.	24	Heather Hennigar
Amanda Rummery	T47 400m	Sherwood Park, Alta.	22	Maegan Ciesielski
Martha Sandoval Gustafson*	F52 Discus	Toronto, Ont.	69	Ken Hall
Liam Stanley*	T37 1500m	Victoria, B.C.	22	Bruce Deacon
Janz Stein	T64 Long jump	Regina, Sask.	38	Arthur Ward
Greg Stewart	F46 Shot put	Victoria, B.C.	33	Dylan Armstrong
Madison Wilson-Walker	T64 Long jump	Avon, Ont.	22	Derrick Johnston

*Paralympian

The Lima 2019 Parapan American Games will run from August 23 to September 1 in Peru and will surpass Toronto 2015 as the largest Parapan Am Games ever with a record 1,850 athletes set to participate. Canada is expecting to send a team of approximately 152 athletes and competition partners in 13 sports. The Canadian Paralympic Committee will announce the official full team heading to the Games later this month.