Canadian high jumper Nicole Forrester named to first ever Commonwealth Games Federation Athletes Advisory Commission
OTTAWA, October 26, Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) congratulates Nicole Forrester on her recent appointment to the newly created Commonwealth Games Federation’s Athletes Commission. Forrester joins six other international athletes on the Commission as the representative of the Americas Region. The appointment was made during a Commonwealth Games Federation Executive Board meeting held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
This is the CGF’s first-ever Athletes Advisory Council, created to engage and represent athlete views and help understand and grow the profile, meaning and impact of Commonwealth Athletes. “Commonwealth athletes are ambassadors of a great movement whose purpose has been carried and shared across decades, generations and across borders”, said CGF President Louise Martin. “The creation of an Athletes Advisory Commission affirms our commitment to being an athlete-centered, sport-focused movement.”
The Commission will be chaired and represented on the CGF Executive Board by Rhona Simpson, Scotland’s most-decorated field hockey player and competitor at the 1998, 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games.
“On behalf of CGC, I congratulate Nicole on her appointment. ”, said Richard Powers, President of Commonwealth Games Canada. “Nicole has been a strong advocate and supporter of the Commonwealth sport movement in Canada, and now she will make a similar contribution within the Commonwealth Games Federation. Nicole joins many other prominent Canadians currently helping to grow and development Commonwealth sport movement on the global level.”
Forrester, from Cookstown, ON and currently residing in Campbellville, ON, is an eight-time Canadian Champion in high jump, two-time Commonwealth medallist (Gold 2010, Bronze 2002), two-time Pan Am Games medallist and 2008 Olympian. Forrester has also had an impressive career within the NCAA - a five-time All-American, University of Michigan Indoor and Outdoor record holder, Big Ten Indoor and Outdoor record holder and Outdoor Championship record holder. In 2014, she was named to the Michigan Women’s Track and Field Hall of Fame. Holder of a PHD in Sport Psychology, she is assistant professor in Sport Media at Ryerson University, as well as a mental performance consultant with the Canadian Sport Psychology Association.
“I am humbled by this honour of representing Canada and the Americas Region on the CGF Athletes Advisory Commission”, said Forrester. “I am passionate about the Commonwealth Games movement, and I look forward to promoting an athlete-centered focus, rolling up my sleeves and working hard in the short term, as well as doing what I can in the long term to represent athletes within the CGF, as well as growing the Commonwealth Games Movement in general.”
Canada, the founder of the Commonwealth Games (1930, Hamilton ON), is proud to have a number of international representatives serving the CGF, which include the following:
- Bruce Robertson (Ottawa, ON) - CGF Vice President
- Linda Cuthbert (Toronto, ON) - CGF Sport Committee Member
- Dr. Andrew Pipe (Ottawa, ON) – CGF Medical Commission Member
- Richard Powers (Toronto, ON) – CGF Governance Committee Member
- Honourable Carla Qualtrough (Delta, BC) – Commonwealth Sports Integrity Champion
- Allan Zimmermann (Ottawa, ON) – CABOS Member (Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport)
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For further information:
Commonwealth Games Canada
Brian MacPherson
Chief Executive Officer
613.244.6868 x226
ABOUT COMMONWEALTH GAMES CANADA
Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) is the 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. CGC builds a better Commonwealth through sport. Visit www.commonwealthgames.ca for information.
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