Canada reveal squad for 2013 World Champs

32 athletes announced after vying for position at national championships. 28 Jun 2013
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A picture of a woman in the wheelchair on a track celebrating the victory with her hand up

Michelle Stilwell of Canada celebrates winning gold in the women's 200m - T52 final at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

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By IPC

The Canadian roster features Michelle Stilwell, reigning T52 World Champion over 100m, 200m and 400m, who collected gold over 200m in London last summer and silver over 100m.

A total of 32 athletes, headlined by Josh Cassidy and Michelle Stilwell, will represent Canada at the 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships in less than one month’s time.

The full Canadian roster for the World Championships features Michelle Stilwell, reigning T52 World Champion over 100m, 200m and 400m, who collected gold over 200m in London last summer and silver over 100m. She shares a rivalry with Belgian Marieke Vervoort, against whom she broke the Paralympic record to beat to gold over 200m in 2012 in a time of 33.80 seconds. Vervoort then returned the favour over 100m and set her own Paralympic world record time, leaving Stilwell to collect silver 0.11 seconds behind. They will race again in Lyon.

Josh Cassidy is the current holder of the world’s fastest marathon, having finished the 2012 Boston marathon in 1:18.25.

Also forming part of the squad is veteran Earle Connor, double Paralympic Champion over 100m (T42) in Beijing in 2008 and Sydney 2000. Connor retired in 2008 but, believing that no one had really come close to his standard, decided to make a comeback in August 2011. He will face current Paralympic and World Champion over 100m Heinrich Popow, who is in great form after running 12.12 seconds at the IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Berlin a few weeks ago.

Joining Connor on the team is Diane Roy, who has medalled at every major international competition since 2004 except for London 2012, including two silver medals over 400m and 1,500m (T54) at the 2011 World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand. Roy is also reigning Commonwealth Champion over 1,500m and secured three national titles last weekend to qualify for the team.

The 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships will take place in Lyon France, from 19-28 July. Featuring 1,300 athletes from 90 countries, it will be the biggest gathering of international athletes since London 2012.