Athletics Canada nominates 46 athletes to Canada’s 2018 Commonwealth Games team

Ottawa – Athletics Canada announced today the 46 athletes (including one guide) who have been nominated to represent Canada at the 2018 Commonwealth Games taking place in Gold Coast, Australia, from April 4-15. The team, comprised of 20 women and 26 men, will be focused on contributing to the overall Canadian medal count and bettering its total of 17 podium finishes (five gold, two silver and 10 bronze) from the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

“Athletics Canada has put together a strong and talented team that features a number of Commonwealth Games veterans and athletes who have taken great strides in our NextGen Program,” said head coach Glenroy Gilbert. “We are going to the Gold Coast to compete and to compete well. It’s an early start to the season for Canadian athletes, but we are going down there to do a job and that’s to perform.”

The Canadian contingent heading to Gold Coast features 17 veteran track and field athletes and 29 first-time Commonwealth Games participants. Of the 17 athletes who competed in Glasgow in 2014, 10 stood on the podium, including decathlete Damian Warner (gold) and wheelchair racer Diane Roy (silver T54 1500-metres) who hope to repeat or better their success in 2018 alongside their Canadian teammates.

“It’s always an honour to be selected to compete for Canada. I had a great time at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and look forward to defending my decathlon title in the Gold Coast this April,” said Damian Warner, 2014 gold medallist in the decathlon. “The 2018 Commonwealth Games present a great competitive opportunity for our veteran and less-experienced teammates. The last Commonwealth Games played a big role in helping me acquire the skills and experience needed to be on the podium in Rio. Athletes don’t get many opportunities to compete in a multi-sport games, so the chance to live in a village, compete in a big stadium and go up against top international competition is invaluable.”

“As an athlete, there’s something different and special about the Commonwealth Games. It has a very inclusive spirit as the para-athletes share training facilities, compete in the same stadium and live in the village with all of the other athletes and teams from the Commonwealth,” said Diane Roy, three-time Commonwealth Games medallist. “Our medals are part of the overall medal count and I take a lot of pride in that. I enjoyed competing at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and look forward to returning to Australia to represent Canada this spring.”

“We are thrilled to see so many returning athletes from the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, including 10 who were on the podium,” said Canada’s Chef de Mission Claire Carver-Dias. “The athletics team will be a leader for our 2018 Canadian team in the Gold Coast, both in size and in experience, and I look forward to supporting each athlete named today in their quest for the podium.”

The Commonwealth Games serve as a vital component of an athlete’s development. Nine athletes, in addition to the men’s 4 x 100-metre relay team, placed in the Top 8 at the 2017 IAAF World Championships, therefore, Canadians and track and field fans around the world can expect to see a number of breakout performances in Gold Coast that will lead to positive results in Tokyo at the Olympic/Paralympic Games in 2020.

“The Commonwealth Games have always been a foundation, a stepping stone, to the World Championships and Olympic/Paralympic Games. They bring together a great group of athletes, you run into very talented people at the Commonwealth Games,” said Gilbert. “Though friendly in nature, competition is competition, people are going down there to win medals. However, the Commonwealth Games also give us an opportunity to expose some of our younger athletes to an international competition, to look at our relay team and at a different formation of that team. It presents an opportunity to learn and to compete at a high level.”

Athletics competition will be held at Carrara Stadium, except for race walk (Currumbin Beachfront) and the men’s and women’s marathon (Southport Broadwater Parklands).

The list of Canadian track and field athletes nominated to the 2018 Commonwealth Games team includes:

Athletics

Name

Hometown

Club affiliation

Coach

Event(s)

Mohammed Ahmed*

St. Catharines, Ont.

Niagara Olympic Club

Jerry Schumacher

Men's 5000-metres

Shawnacy Barber**

Toronto

Project Athletics

Jeff Hartwig

Men's pole vault

Aaron Brown*

Toronto

Phoenix Athletics

Dennis Mitchell

Men's 200-metres

Men’s 4 x 100-metre relay

Rachel Cliff

Vancouver

Unattached

Richard Lee

Women's 10,000-metres

Brittany Crew

Toronto

SISU Throws Club

Richard Parkinson

Women's shot put

Andre De Grasse*

Markham, Ont.

The Speed Academy Athletics Club

Stuart McMillan

Men's 200-metres

Men’s 4 x 100-metre relay

Evan Dunfee

Richmond, B.C.

Racewalk West

Gerald Dragomir

Men's 20 km race walk

Sam Effah

Calgary

University of Calgary Athletics Club

Desai Williams

Men’s 4 x 100-metre relay

Crystal Emmanuel*

Toronto

Flying Angels

Charles Allen

Women's 200-metres

Sultana Frizell**

Perth, Ont.

Ottawa Lions Track & Field Club

Sheldan Gmitroski

Women's hammer throw

Elizabeth Gleadle*

Vancouver

Vancouver Thunderbirds

Laurier Primeau

Women's javelin throw

Matthew Hughes*

Oshawa, Ont.

Newmarket Huskies

Jerry Schumacher

Men's 3000-metres steeplechase

Adam Keenan

Victoria

Kamloops Track and Field Club

Anatoliy Bondarchuk

Men's hammer throw

Geneviève Lalonde

Moncton, N.B.

Speed River

Dave Scott-Thomas

Women's 3000-metres steeplechase

Pierce LePage

Whitby, Ont.

Unattached

Gregory Portnoy

Men's decathlon

Django Lovett

Surrey, B.C.

Valley Royals Track & Field Club

Zbigniew Szelagowicz

Men's high jump

Michael Mason**

Nanoose Bay, B.C.

Nanaimo Track and Field Club

Jeff Huntoon

Men's high jump

Brandon McBride*

Windsor, Ont.

Windsor Legion

Chris Scarrow

Men's 800-metres

Tim Nedow**

Brockville, Ont.

Ottawa Lions Track & Field Club

Richard Parkinson

Men's shot put

Christabel Nettey**

Surrey, B.C.

Unattached

Jeremy Fischer

Women's long jump

Anicka Newell

Saskatoon

Project Athletics

Cameron Meyer

Women's pole vault

Alysha Newman**

London, Ont.

Bolton Pole Vault

Doug Wood

Women's pole vault

Nicole Oudenaarden

St. Albert, Alta.

University of Calgary Athletics Club

Les Gramantik

Women's heptathlon

Brendon Rodney

Brampton, Ont.

HEAT Athletics

Simon Hodnett

Men’s 4 x 100-metre relay

Nina Schultz

New Westminster, B.C.

New West Spartans Track and Field Club

Cliff Rovelto

Women's heptathlon

Gavin Smellie

Brampton, Ont.

Flying Angels

Desai Williams

Men’s 4 x 100-metre relay

Gabriela Stafford

Toronto

University of Toronto Track and Field Club

Terry Radchenko

Women's 1500-metres

Taylor Stewart

London, Ont.

London Western

Vickie Croley

Men's decathlon

Taryn Suttie

Hanley, Sask.

Unattached

Justin Rodhe

Women's shot put

Deryk Theodore

Edmonton

Edmonton International Track Club

Mark Cocks

Men's pole vault

Benjamin Thorne

Kitimat, B.C.

Racewalk West

Gerald Dragomir

Men's 20 km race walk

Alyxandria Treasure

Prince George, B.C.

Prince George Track & Field Club

Cliff Rovelto

Women's high jump

Damian Warner**

London, Ont.

London Western

Les Gramantik

Men's decathlon

Sage Watson

Medicine Hat, Alta.

Unattached

Fredrick Harvey

Women's 400-metre hurdles

Jillian Weir

Kingston, Ont.

Unattached

Zeb Sion

Women's hammer throw

Angela Whyte**

Edmonton

APEX Athletics Club

Jeff Huntoon

Women's heptathlon

Natasha Wodak

North Vancouver, B.C.

Prairie Inn Harriers Running Club

Lynn Kanuka

Women's 10,000-metres

Para-Athletics

Name

Hometown

Club affiliation

Coach

Event(s)

David Bambrick

Wolfville, N.S.

Launchers Athletics

Steve Wohlmuth

Men's shot put F37

Alexandre Dupont**

Clarenceville, Que.

Club d’Athlétisme Saint-Laurent Sélect

Rick Reelie

Men's 1500-metre T54

Men's marathon T54

Jessica Frotten

Whitehorse

Cyclones Road and Track Club

Rick Reelie

Women's 1500-metres T54

Adam Johnson

Toronto

I Be Fast Track Club

Craig Blackman

Guide

George Quarcoo

Scarborough, Ont.

I Be Fast Track Club

Craig Blackman

Men's 100-metres T12

Diane Roy**

Sherbrooke, Que.

Club Athlétisme de Sherbrooke

Jean Laroche

Women's marathon T54

Women's 1500-metres T54

Tristan Smyth

Maple Ridge, B.C.

BC Wheelchair Sports

Jenn Schutz

Men's 1500-metres T54

Kevin Strybosch

London, Ont.

London Western

John Allan

Men's shot put F37

Kyle Whitehouse

St. Catharines, Ont.

Niagara Regional Athletics

Sue Bartol

Men's 100-metres T38

Staff

Name

Hometown

Role

Glenroy Gilbert

Ottawa

Head coach 

Simon Nathan

Ottawa

Team leader

Jared MacLeod

Winnipeg

Team manager

Jessica Scarlato

Richmond Hill, Ont.

Team manager

Ingrid Ruys

Sherwood Park, Alta.

Team manager - out of village

 

Charles Allen

Toronto

Team coach 

Dave Scott-Thomas

Guelph

Team coach

Doug Wood

London, Ont.

Team coach

Jeff Huntoon

Toronto

Team coach

Richard Parkinson

Stouffville, Ont.

Team coach

Larry Steinke

Lethbridge, Alta.

Team coach

Les Gramantik

Calgary

Team coach

Rick Reelie

Saskatoon

Team coach

Dr. Padraig McCluskey

Victoria

Team physician

Andrea Stephen

Toronto

Team physiotherapist

Dr. John Vargo

Sarnia, Ont.

Team chiropractor

Danielle Chow-Leong

Toronto

Team massage therapist

Eric Corda

Sarnia, Ont.

Team massage therapist

Dr. Penny Werthner

Calgary

Team mental performance

Dana Way

Winnipeg Beach, Man.

Team biomechanist 

Amanda Nigh

Uxbridge, Ont.

Media attaché

*Member of the 2014 Commonwealth Games team

**Denotes a podium finish in 2014

Please note all nominations are subject to the approval of Commonwealth Games Canada and pending any successful appeals during the seven-day period following the unofficial team announcement.

The 2018 Commonwealth Games will take place April 4-15 in Gold Coast, Australia, and will feature more than 4,000 athletes from 70 different countries. The entire Canadian team will be officially announced by Commonwealth Games Canada in March. For more information on the 2018 Commonwealth Games, please visit www.gc2018.com.

About Athletics Canada

Athletics Canada (AC) is the National Sport Governing Body for track and field, road running and cross country. The organization’s vision is to provide world leading programs and services in athletics and to be recognized domestically and internationally for its commitment to: providing a positive experience through sport that develops physical literacy and a love of athletics; systematically developing world class athletes who achieve podium success internationally; and providing opportunities for participants to remain active and competitive through all stages of life. Visit www.athletics.ca for more information.

About Commonwealth Games Canada

Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) is the international franchise holder for the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth movement in Canada, and an active, contributing member of the Canadian sport community. The mission of CGC is to strengthen sport within Canada and throughout the Commonwealth by participating in the Commonwealth Games and by using sport as a development tool. Visit www.commonwealthgames.ca for information.

For interview requests and more information on Athletics Canada, please contact:

Amanda Nigh

Manager, Communications and Marketing – Athletics Canada

amanda.nigh@athletics.ca

Jim McDannald

Coordinator, Communications – Athletics Canada

jmcdannald@athletics.ca

For addition information on the Gold Coast 2018 Canadian Team or Commonwealth Games Canada, please contact:

Sylvie Bigras

Communications Chief, Team Canada – Gold Coast 2018

sylvie@magma.ca

 

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