The New Athletes' Village
Ontario is starting construction on a new waterfront community in the West Don Lands — in time for the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games — creating 5,200 direct and indirect jobs. The new community will become the temporary home to more than 10,000 athletes and officials participating in the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games.
Florence Laplante-Lamarche
Young, charismatic, high performance road and track cyclist, Florence Laplante-Lamarche is on her way to achieve her dreams of international success. In 2010 she won gold in Keirin at the Pan American Junior Championships and gold in Sprint at the Canadian Track Championships. Next up, earning a spot on the senior national sprint team…
Goalball will be competed at Guadalajara 2011 and the 2012 Paralympics in London, England, and is being considered for the 2015 Parapan Am Games sport program. Goalball was invented in 1946 as a rehabilitation activity for blind veterans of WWII. Goalball is a dynamic sport which increases cardiovascular endurance, upper body strength, mobility and agility skills, auditory awareness and cooperation among teammates. Watch the Canadian National Team in action.
Welland International Flatwater Centre has been proposed as the site of the 2015 Pan American Canoe and Kayak Sprint events. The facility is set in 411 acres of parkland and 272 acres of water. It is a training ground for Olympians and Pan American athletes in canoe, kayak, rowing, dragonboat, open water swimming and triathlon.
Mary Spencer
Fiercely determined, Aboriginal youth leader, dedicated athlete. That just begins to describe Mary Spencer. At 26 she’s already a three-time World champion, five-time Pan American champion and eight-time Canadian champion. She will compete in the 2011 Pan American Games and is one to watch when Women’s boxing debuts at the 2012 Olympics.
Determination. Passion. Commitment. Just a few words to describe the athletes featured in this video who are giving it their all every day and at every competition to make our province and our country proud.
Shayne Smith exemplifies the true spirit of an athlete. A former sledge hockey player — turned wheelchair basketball star, Shayne never stopped believing he could do anything he set his mind to. It took him 4 years to score his first basket. Today, he shoots three-point field goals.
