Posted: June 26, 2008

Athletics: Canada announces 2008 World Junior Championships team

Thursday, June 26, 2008 OTTAWA – Athletics Canada announced today the 2008 World Junior Championships team which will compete in Bydgoszcz, Poland, July 8 to the 13.  Hugh Conlin, World Juniors Head Coach, is excited about the talent and depth which will represent Canada. “The coaching staff is pleased with the large number of athletes who qualified for the team, 34 athletes achieved the standard which was based on being top 16 in the world. This is indicative of the depth of talent currently among the junior ranks.” Conlin adds,” I am looking forward to seeing these athletes in action against the best in the world and we expect strong results in terms of podium and top 8 performances.” The IAAF World Junior Championships are held every two years, they were last held in 2006 in Beijing, China.  The team came away from those championships with two silver medals.  Justyn Warner captured silver in the men’s 100 metres while Edmonton’s Brian Barnett finished second in the men’s 200 metres.  The next World Athletics Junior Championships (2010) will be held in Moncton, New Brunswick. Athletics Canada is proud to announce that athletes who step on the podium in Poland will have their portion of the costs associated with this partially self funded national team completely refunded.  Athletes who place top 8 will earn the right to recover half of their costs.  “Athletics Canada is extremely excited to be taking another step toward reducing the cost of partially self-funded national teams while recognizing the importance of Branch and Club contributions to the high performance development of the sport.  Last year we increased our investment in partially self-funded teams as money was raised for them through the Spikes and Clubs golf tournament and TransCanada Run with the Champions 10km road race”, said Joanne Mortimore, Chief Executive Officer.  Mortimore adds, “This announcement is another step in the right direction and lines up perfectly with our high performance accountability model.”   2008 World Junior Athletics Championships team Name Event Hometown Club Mohammed Ahmed 10000m St. Catherine’s, ON Niagara Olympic Ariane Beaumont-Courteau Pole vault Montréal, QC Montréal-International Justin Baker 110m hurdles Regina, SK Excel Athletika Olivier Collin 800m St-Lazare, QC Vaudreuil-Dorion Evan Dunfee 10000m racewalk Richmond, BC Kajaks Karelle Edwards 100m hurdles Ottawa, ON Ottawa Lions Jessica Furlan 3000m steeplechase Regina, SK Excel Athletika Natalie Geiger 400m Stouffville, ON University of Toronto Chantal Grant 100m Winnipeg, MB Winnipeg Optimist Chantelle Groenewoud 3000m steeplechase Vancouver, BC Norwesters Tyrone Halstead 100m Mississauga, ON Mississauga Track and Field Phillip Hayle 100m Brampton, ON Brampton Track Tyler Daniel Harper 400m Brampton, ON Brampton Track Matthew Hughes 3000m steeplechase Oshawa, ON Toronto Olympic Kimberly Hyacinthe 200m Lachenaie, QC Saint Laurent Sélect Tamara Jewett 3000m Toronto, ON University of Toronto Alyssa Johnson 400m Winnipeg, MB Flying M Athletic Julie Labonté Shot put Sainte-Justine, QC Fleur de Lys Matthew Leeder 1500m Brockville, ON Brockville Legion Simon Léveillé 110m hurdles Mascouche, QC Corsaire Chaparal Allison Liske Shot put Calgary, AB Unattached Laura Macauley Javelin throw Port Alberni, BC Alberni Valley Track Nyjal Majock 10000m Calgary, AB CALTAF Thomas Morrison 1500m Port Perry, ON Durham Dragons Jessica O’Connell 1500m Calgary, AB University of Calgary Jessica Parry 800m London, ON London Western Track and Field Holly Parent High jump Victoria, BC Victoria Track and Field Michael Robertson 200m Williams Town, ON Ottawa Lions Kendra Schaaf 1500m, 5000m Craven, SK Regina Queen City Striders Jessica Smith 800m Vancouver, BC Norwesters Shawn Swartz High jump Port Coquitlam, BC Coquitlam Cheetahs Deryk Theodore Pole vault Edmonton, AB Edmonton International Sarah Wells 400m hurdles Unionville, ON University of Toronto Team Staff       Jean-Guy Ouellette Head of Delegation Sherbrooke, QC   Hugh Conlin Head Coach Ottawa, ON   Markus Bill Team Manager Vancouver, BC   Denise Hebert Throws coach Windsor, ON   Christine Laverty Endurance coach Calgary, AB   Mike Murray Sprints/hurdles coach Surrey, BC   Greg Peters Jumps/combined events coach Smithers, BC   Dr. Jean Dion Physician Mont-Tremblant, QC   Nadine Nembhard Physiotherapist Vancouver, BC   Kim Mark-Goldsworthy Massage Therapist Victoria, BC   Athletics Canada is the national sport governing body for the sport of track and field, cross-country running, road running and road racing.  -AC- For more information: Mathieu Gentès Marketing and Communications Director Athletics Canada mgentes@athletics.ca 613-260-5580 ext. 3303 Emily Hooper Marketing and Communications Coordinator Athletics Canada ehooper@athletics.ca 613-260-5580 ext. 3332

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