Posted: July 7, 2008

Athletics: Athletics Canada nominates athletes for the 2008 Olympic Team

Monday, July 07, 2008 WINDSOR – Athletics Canada announced today the names of the athletes that will be forwarded to the Canadian Olympic Committee for nomination to the 2008 Olympic Games team.  The announcement came this morning in Windsor, Ontario at the RBC Breakfast of Champions.  The Canadian track and field team’s objective in China is to replicate the result of 2 medals achieved at the 2007 World Championships.  Last August in Osaka, Japan Perdita Felicien of Pickering, ON captured silver in the women’s 100 metre hurdles and Gary Reed of Victoria, BC won silver in the men’s 800 metres.     Les Gramantik, Head Coach, sees the team as being very competitive and able to compete with the world’s best, “Based on its selection criteria, Athletics Canada has nominated the best group of athletes to represent the maple leaf at the Beijing Olympics.  In six weeks these athletes will be asked to perform in the most competitive global sport under the world’s spotlight.”  Gramantik adds, “I, along with the support staff, coaches and medical personnel, are excited to assist the athletes in their final phase preparation to achieve their individual goals, which will help us achieve our collective goals as a team.” Athletes Nominated for Track & Field for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Name Event Hometown Coach Ruky Abdulai Long Jump Coquitlam, BC Tom Dickson Richard Adu-Bobie 4x100m Relay Ottawa, ON Glenroy Gilbert Dylan Armstrong Shot Put Kamloops, BC Anatoly Bondarchuk Brian Barnett 200m, 4x100m Relay Edmonton, AB Quin Sekulich Tim Berrett 50km Race Walk Edmonton, AB John Fitzgerald Massimo Bertocchi Decathlon Toronto, ON Andy Higgins Pierre Browne 4x100m Relay Toronto, ON Kevin Tyler Tabia Charles Long Jump Pickering, ON Desai Williams Tyler Christopher 400m Edmonton, AB Kevin Tyler Jared Connaughton 200m, 4x100m Relay New Haven, PEI Monte Stratton Nicole Forrester High Jump Aurora, ON James Henry Sultana Frizell Hammer throw Ottawa, ON Anatoly Bondarchuk Kelsie Hendry Pole Vault Saskatoon, SK Rick & Susanne Petrucha Anson Henry 100m, 4x100m Relay Pickering, ON Dan Pfaff Priscilla Lopes-Schliep 100m Hurdles Whitby, ON Anthony McCleary Michael Mason High Jump Nanoose Bay, BC Laurier Primeau Megan Metcalfe 5000m Edmonton, AB Sean Cleary Taylor Milne 1500m Guelph, ON Dave Scott-Thomas Carline Muir 400m Weston, ON Kevin Tyler Hank Palmer 4x100m Relay Pierrefonds, QC Daniel St. Hilaire Emanuel Parris 4x100m Relay Montréal, QC Kevin Tyler Adrienne Power 200m Halifax, NS Peter Lord Gary Reed 800m Victoria, BC Wynn Gmitroski Scott Russell Javelin throw Windsor, ON Doug Reynolds Jim Steacy Hammer throw Lethbridge, AB Larry Steinke Kevin Sullivan 1500m Brampton, ON Julie Henner Achraf Tadili 800m Laval, QC Brent Fougner Angela Whyte 100m Hurdles Edmonton, AB Wayne Phipps Jessica Zelinka Heptathlon London, ON Les Gramantik Six athletes were granted extensions to qualify for the Olympic team based on previous international accomplishments. All six must achieve the required selection criteria by July 22, 2008 to be confirmed to the team. Nathan Brannen 1500m Cambridge, ON Ron Warhurst Dana Ellis-Buller Pole Vault Kitchener, ON Ty Sevin Malindi Elmore 1500m Calgary, AB Mike Van Tighem Perdita Felicien 100m Hurdles Pickering, ON Gary Winkler Adam Kunkel 400m Hurdles Paisley, ON Kevin Tyler Hilary Stellingwerff 1500m Sarnia, ON Dave Scott-Thomas Track and field events begin August 15th at the Beijing National Stadium, known as the Bird’s Nest, the stadium can accommodate 91,000 spectators.  The Canadian track and field team will hold a pre-Games training camp in Singapore beginning August 1.  Athletes will fly from Singapore directly to Beijing four or five days before the start of their competition.  The first wave of athletes will fly to China August 11 with the final wave heading over August 17. Athletics Canada is the national sport governing body for the sport of track and field, cross-country running, road running and road racing.  -AC- Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest