GLASGOW 2014 TEAM TO INCLUDE 33 SWIMMERS

Double gold medallist Ryan Cochrane among handful of veterans on young team

April 8, 2014, Ottawa – Swimming Canada and Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) today confirmed the 33 athletes and coaches selected to Team Canada for the XXth Commonwealth Games in Glasgow Scotland in July.

The team features defending double gold medallist Ryan Cochrane, who won the 400-m and 1,500-m freestyle events at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India. Cochrane, who trains at the Swimming Canada High Performance Centre – Victoria, is one of two multiple medallists on the team. Veteran Audrey Lacroix of Pont-Rouge, Que., the 2010 silver medallist in 200-m butterfly, qualified for her third Games. Lacroix also has a 100-m bronze to her credit from the 2006 Games in Melbourne, Australia, and helped the women’s 4x100-m medley relay to bronze in 2010. Women’s butterfly looks to be a strong event for Canada, as fellow Pont-Rouge native Katerine Savard is coming off a Canadian record in the 100-m at the Canadian Swimming Trials in Victoria.

"Swimming is one of the largest sports of our delegation, and the sport has a long and storied history at the Commonwealth Games. Some of Canada's most iconic moments at the Games have been in the pool - Graham Smith’s six gold medals at the 1978 Games in Edmonton as an example,” said Chantal Petitclerc, Chef de Mission of the 2014 Team. “The 10 medals our swimmers won in Delhi made them one of our most successful sports at those Games, and we expect a great showing this summer in Glasgow. I look forward to working alongside these amazing swimmers this summer, and welcome them to the 2014 Commonwealth Games Team."

Cochrane, Lacroix, and sprint freestyle specialist Victoria Poon of Montreal are the only three-time members of the team. Of the 33 athletes, 26 will be making their Commonwealth Games debuts. That includes Brittany MacLean of Etobicoke, Ont., who won the 200-, 400- and 800-m freestyle gold medals at Canadian Swimming Trials, including a Canadian record in the 800.

The team features 20 females and 10 males on the able-bodied side, while three female athletes will represent Canada in Para-swimming events. Katarina Roxon of St. John’s, N.L., returns for her second Games, while rising star Aurelie Rivard of Montreal will make her debut. Rivard captured silver at the 2012 Paralympics in London, then followed up with five medals at the 2013 IPC World Championships in Montreal.

“The established figures on the team like Katerine Savard, Ryan Cochrane, Brittany MacLean and Hilary Caldwell will ensure there is experience,” said Swimming Canada High Performance Director John Atkinson. “We also have some swimmers who are newer to the team who are capable of progression between now and the summer. We are proud to announce this team to represent Canada against the best the Commonwealth has to offer. This will be an important multi-sport Games experience as we build towards the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games in Toronto and ultimately the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.”

Swimming Canada selected its Commonwealth Games nominees after the country’s best swimmers competed at the Canadian Swimming Trials, which wrapped up Saturday in Victoria, and the Can-Am Para-Swimming Championships the previous week in Miami. The selected athletes and coaches are:

The Canadian team is expected to be composed of 265 athletes and close to 100 coaches and support staff, Canada’s largest team ever fielded for a non-home Games. The entire Canadian Team, as well as the team’s flag bearer, will be announced officially by Commonwealth Games in July 2014.

The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games will be held from July 23 to August 3, and will be the largest ever multi-sport event held on Scottish soil. The swimming competition will run from July 24 to 29 and be televised on CBC and Radio-Canada.

ABOUT SWIMMING CANADA

Swimming Canada serves as the national governing body of competitive swimming.  We inspire Canadians through world leading performances to embrace a lifestyle of swimming, sport, fitness and health.  The federation comprises 75,000 members and 400 swim clubs across the country.  Canadians are global leaders in high performance swimming and development for both able-bodied swimmers and swimmers with a disability.  Swimming is recognized as one of the most celebrated and successful Canadian summer Olympic and Paralympic sports. Visit www.swimming.cafor 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.cafor information.

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For interview requests:

Nathan White
Manager of Communications
Swimming Canada
613 260 1348
nwhite@swimming.ca

For additional information on the Glasgow 2014 Canadian Team or CGC:

Sylvie Bigras
Communications Chief
Team Canada - Glasgow 2014
613 298 1625
sylvie@magma.ca