Canada Announces 145 Athletes for London 2012

The Canadian Paralympic Committee revealed their delegation for the London 2012 Paralympic Games this week. 16 Aug 2012

Canada's Cindy Ouellet is seen as one of the veterans on the women's wheelchair basketball team.

ⒸMatthew Murnaghan/Canadian Paralympic Committee

"We are all committed to making London 2012 a fantastic sequel to the Vancouver Games success story, one that will make all Canadians proud of their Paralympic athletes."

The Canadian Paralympic Committee announced on Tuesday (14 August) the athletes, coaches and staff who will make up Team Canada at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Canada will bring a total of 145 athletes to compete in 15 sports in London. They are joined by 12 athlete support personnel (cycling pilots, running guides, boccia sport assistants and a rowing coxswain), and 134 officials (coaches, managers, support staff, mission staff).

The team will be led by Chef de Mission Gaétan Tardif and Assistant Chef de Mission Elisabeth Walker-Young. At a send off at Toronto's Pearson airport on Tuesday, Tardif paid tribute to the outstanding Canadians chosen for this Team.

Included on the team are Paralympic champion wheelchair racer Michelle Stilwell and top men's and women's Wheelchair Basketball squads with world reknown players such as Patrick Anderson, David Eng, Tracey Ferguson and Cindy Ouellet.

"I know our athletes are totally focused on performing their best in London," Tardif said. "We are all committed to making London 2012 a fantastic sequel to the Vancouver Games success story, one that will make all Canadians proud of their Paralympic athletes."

Assistant Chef de Mission Walker-Young, a six-time Paralympic medallist in Swimming, added, "As a Paralympian, I'm honored to be trusted to help lead Team Canada and am proud to bring an athlete's perspective to its management."

Building on the great success of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games (where Canada placed third in both the gold medal count and overall medal count), Canada is looking to continue its winning ways in London. The Canadian Paralympic team's performance goal for London is to finish among the top eight nations, based on gold medal count. This goal was established in collaboration with Own the Podium, Sport Canada and all summer National Sport Organizations.