THE ROAD TO RIO - FROM GLASGOW 2014 TO RIO 2016!
53% of 2014 Commonwealth Games Team on 2016 Canadian Olympic Team
OTTAWA – Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) congratulates the 313 athletes representing Canada at the 2016 Olympic Games which begin today in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Of the 171 medal potential Olympic sport athletes who were members of Canada’s 2014 Commonwealth Games Team in Glasgow, Scotland, 53% percent are on the Canadian Olympic Team in Rio. This is a rich quadrennial of high performance sport for Canada’s summer athletes, offering the perfect continuum of major Games - Glasgow 2014 - Toronto 2015 and Rio 2016. With the road to Rio having run through Glasgow in 2014 and detouring through Toronto in July 2015, Canada’s athletes have had two major international multi-sport events contribute to their Olympic preparation.
“Competing in high-profile multi sport events like the Commonwealth Games and the Pan American Games in the two years prior to the Olympic Games is perfect preparation for Canada’s high performance athletes as they head into Rio”, said Richard Powers, President of Commonwealth Games Canada. “Many athletes have told us that their Commonwealth experience was a big part of their Olympic preparation and will contribute to Games readiness.”
2014 Commonwealth gold medalists named to 2016 Canadian Olympic Team include Damian Warner and Brianne Theisen-Eaton in athletics, swimmer Ryan Cochrane, diver Meaghan Benfeito and gymnast Ellie Black. They are certainly among the athletes to watch in Rio. In all, 36 medalists from the 2014 Commonwealth Games are in Rio. “The 2014 Commonwealth Games were important preparation for Rio,” said swimmer Ryan Cochrane, double gold medalist in Glasgow. “From the Athletes’ Village to the sport venues, Games transport and more, this was an excellent run-through for what we are to expect at the Olympic Games in Rio,” he said.
Commonwealth Games Canada expresses its congratulations to the COC’s President Tricia Smith and CEO Chris Overholt and extends its best wishes to them and Canada’s Olympic Team for excellent and successful Olympic Games.
The Olympic Games are a huge opportunity to score major points in Commonwealth Games Canada’s new Canada Commonwealth Cup program, watch for big moves in the Cup standings during the Olympic Games by visiting: http://www.canadacommonwealthcup.ca/ regularly.
With 71 participating countries and over 4500 athletes taking part in the Commonwealth Games, these Games offer a valuable opportunity for all Canadian athletes. The next Games will take place April 4th to 15th, 2018 in Gold Coast, Australia.
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. Visit www.commonwealthgames.ca for information.
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