| Victoria, B.C. — The Paris Olympic Games begin in only two days and Team Canada is ready to show the world what they are made of and to hear the roar of the crowd cheering them on. Following the Tokyo Games, which did not feature live audiences due to COVID-19, the excitement to compete in front of fans, friends and families is palpable for the athletes, so many of whom have a connection to British Columbia.Team Canada boasts a total of 315 Olympians that will compete in Paris, with 139 (44%) having a direct connection to British Columbia. Among these, 135 athletes (43%) are affiliated with the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific (CSI Pacific), having accessed programs, services, and/or training at our facilities in the lead-up to the Games. Four additional athletes were born and/or raised in British Columbia and spent part of their developmental years training in the province.
Team Canada is bringing an additional 22 accredited alternate athletes to the Games. Of those 22 alternate athletes, 13 of them (54%) have a BC connection, and 11 of them (50%) are CSI Pacific affiliated.
“Best of luck to Team Canada, and in particular, our athletes with roots in B.C. It’s a tremendous honour to represent your country,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “Our Olympians are shining examples of skill, perseverance and tenacity, earning this well-deserved place in sport history. We are confident they will achieve great things as they set their sights on the top of the podium. Go, Team Canada, go!”
“We are thrilled to have a Summer Games with all the fans, families and supporters in attendance (post COVID), allowing Team Canada to compete and celebrate the Games in such an iconic city – Paris.” said Wendy Pattenden, CEO of Canadian Sport Institute Pacific. “It has been an amazing journey over the past three years for athletes, coaches, and national sport organizations, and their determination, resilience, and hard work have been truly inspiring. It’s fantastic to see such strong representation from B.C. connected athletes heading to Paris, they are ready to perform!”
“I am extremely proud of our incredible staff who have worked with and supported these athletes on their journey to Paris 2024 and we are all tremendously excited to cheer for Team Canada.”
Several key organizations have collaboratively supported these athletes in achieving their goals: Sport Canada’s sustained investment through the Own the Podium Program, National Sport Organizations, the Province of British Columbia, viaSport, and its Regional Alliance partners, along with CSI Pacific, all play vital roles in nurturing young athletes and coaches throughout the province.
With the Province’s commitment to enhancing sport and increasing accessibility, B.C. affiliated athletes continue to gain every advantage to compete globally. By fostering a safe and competitive environment, athletes have the opportunity to develop in a variety of sports across the province. Those pursuing the performance pathway can access programs and services provided by CSI Pacific and viaSport’s Regional Alliance partners in their regions.
“It is truly inspiring to see so many of our BC athletes on the world stage as part of Team Canada for the Paris Olympic Games. As we cheer on all of our athletes, coaches and officials, let’s remember the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship,’ said Charlene Krepiakevich, CEO, viaSport BC. “Whether you are an athlete pursuing excellence or a weekend warrior connecting with your community, all of us of have a place in sport and a right to experience its benefits. Good luck to Team Canada and all of our BC athletes!”
B.C. affiliated athletes won 56% of Team Canada’s medals at the Beijing 2022 Olympics and 50% of the medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, illustrating how athletes with B.C. connections continue to bring home amazing results on the world’s biggest stage, across Summer and Winter Games.
Several key factors contribute to British Columbia’s prominent position in the national and international sport landscape:
- Government Investment: The Government of British Columbia invests approximately $50 million annually in sports.
- viaSport’s Leadership: viaSport plays a crucial role in promoting and developing amateur sports, building a stronger, more effective, and inclusive sport system for athletes and coaches through provincial sport organizations and regional delivery partners.
- CSI Pacific’s Expertise: Canadian Sport Institute Pacific (CSI Pacific) provides technical leadership and support to Canada’s high-performance athletes and coaches. Our mantra, “Collaborate. Serve. Innovate. Perform.,” combined with world-class training facilities, equipment, and innovations, helps elite athletes and coaches maximize their potential.
- Collaboration with Sport Organizations: Working with National Sport Organizations (NSOs) and Provincial Sport Organizations (PSOs), B.C. benefits from leadership and commitment to the Long-Term Athlete Development model. This collaboration provides expertise, services, and support to B.C. athletes and coaches across more than two dozen different Olympic Summer sports.
- BC Games Society’s Role: The BC Games Society introduces athletes to multi-sport games and the sport excellence system by hosting the BC Winter and BC Summer Games. They also manage the Team BC program for the Canada Games, fostering sport development and excellence.
Quick Facts about Team Canada’s B.C. affiliation for Paris 2024:
- 135 athletes benefitted from CSI Pacific and/or viaSport Regional Alliance partner programs and services in the quadrennial lead up to the Games
- 89% of the of the Olympians are affiliated with at least one member of the Canadian Olympian and Paralympic Sport Institute Network (COPSIN), of which CSI Pacific is a member
- Four athletes attended the Canadian Sport School Victoria, a program CSI Pacific oversees (Caroline Crossley & Charity Williams, Rugby Sevens; Erin Attwell & Sarah Van Dam, Cycling)
- 6 CSI Pacific sport scientists from two disciplines will be attending the Games in a professional capacity (role at the Games in parentheses):
- Paddy McCluskey, CSI Pacific CMO & Health Sciences Lead – (Medical Lead for Athletics Canada)
- Tom Vandenbogaerde – Performance Sport Scientist (working with Swimming Canada)
- Graham Olson – Sport Technologist (working with Swimming Canada)
- Christie Gialloreto – Mental Performance Consultant (working with Rowing Canada)
- Amarah Epp-Stobbe – Senior Practitioner, Data Solutions (Canadian Olympic Committee Mission Staff – Performance Technology Specialist)
- Anna Kozniuk – Manager, Performance Programs (Canadian Olympic Committee Mission Staff – Outfitting Exchange Officer)
CSI Pacific will be keeping you up to date on the progress of all athletes with a B.C. affiliation competing in Paris via our newsletter with daily results from these athletes, as well as additional information about them, including their hometowns, social media channels, and competition schedules.
If you haven’t already, you can sign up for our daily newsletter, OUI CAN!, here: https://www.csipacific.ca/newsletter/
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games are also coming up, starting on August 28th. Once the team has been announced, we will provide an update on the CSI Pacific affiliated athletes going to the Paralympics, as well as those who are B.C. affiliated. Go Canada! OUI CAN!
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