2002-07-04

Igali to lead star-studded Canadian team for 2002 Commonwealth Games

Igali to lead star-studded Canadian team for 2002 Commonwealth Games

TORONTO- Wrestler Daniel Igali of Burnaby, B.C., was selected as Canada’s flag bearer and will lead the 406-member Canadian team into the City of Manchester Stadium for the opening ceremonies at the 2002 Commonwealth Games July 25-August 4 in Manchester, England.

Igali, a world and Olympic champion as well as a veteran of the 1994 Commonwealth Games, is one several established stars on the team. Others include Olympic triathlon champion Simon Whitfield, swimmers Marianne Limpert of Montreal (the 1998 flag bearer), and Curtis Myden of Calgary, cyclist Clara Hughes of Winnipeg, diving sensation Alexandre Despatie of Laval, Que., and Nicolas Gill of Montreal in judo.

"To carry the flag in Manchester will be one of the highlights of my career," said Igali. "There were certainly a lot of other deserving athletes and I was surprised to receive this honour. The Commonwealth Games bring back a lot of fond memories for me. I always consider the 1994 Games the start of my new life in Canada. And now to come back to the Games representing Canada means the circle is complete."

Also on the team are current and former world champions Roland Green of Victoria in mountain biking, Susan Nattrass of Edmonton in shooting, Jonathon Power of Montreal in squash, Bruny Surin of Montreal in athletics and Giuvi Sissaouri of Montreal in wrestling.

The 2002 Games are also first to officially include events for athletes with a disability. Among the Canadians to watch are world and Paralympic champions Chantal Petitclerc of Montreal in wheelchair racing and Philippe Gagnon of Sherbrooke, Que., in swimming as well as Vivian Berkeley of Kitchener, Ont. in lawn bowls.

"This is one of our strongest teams ever for a Commonwealth Games," said Marg McGregor of Ottawa, Chef de Mission for the Canadian team. "Obviously there are some well known champions but there’s also plenty of young talent which we expect will burst on the international stage at these Games."

Besides the events for athletes with a disability, new sports added to the Games this year are triathlon and table tennis while mountain biking has been added to the cycling program. Women’s weightlifting also makes its debut. Returning to the Games program after being absent in 1998 are wrestling and judo. The other sports are athletics, badminton, boxing, men’s and women’s field hockey, gymnastics, lawn bowls, netball, rugby 7’s, shooting, squash, synchronized swimming, swimming and diving.

Approximately 5,250 athletes and team officials from 70 countries are expected to compete at these 17th Commonwealth Games.

" I am pleased, on behalf of the Government of Canada, to wish good luck to all the members of the Canadian Commonwealth team and most particularly to the 281 athletes who will represent us in Manchester," said Secretary of State (Amateur Sport) Paul DeVillers. "Their performances will be a great source of inspiration for a new generation of athletes and we will follow their achievements with intense interest. I join with all Canadians in congratulating Daniel Igali who was chosen as the flag-bearer for Canada."

Canada’s uniforms are being sponsored by Zellers.

"Hudson's Bay Company is honoured to play a leading role in sending Canada's best to the Manchester Commonwealth Games, through the outfitting of Team Canada in uniforms designed and developed by Zellers," said George Heller, Honorary Chef de Mission of the Commonwealth Games Team and President and CEO, Hudson's Bay Company. "I share the pride of my fellow Canadians as these athletes represent the best of our nation on the world stage."

Aline Lafreniere, COMMONWEALTH Games Canada, at (819) 827-2746 or e-mail: alineml@sympatico.ca or CGC office at (613) 244-6868


Canadian team for the 2002 Commonwealth Games July 25-August 4 in Manchester, England:

ATHLETICS
Men: Charles Allen, Mississauga, Ont. (110 hurdles, 4X100); Tim Berrett, Edmonton (50 km race walk); Kwaku Boateng, Montreal (high jump); Mark Boswell, Brampton, Ont.(high jump); Joel Bourgeois, Grande-Digue, N.B.(3,000 steeplechase); Nathan Brannen, Cambridge, Ont.(800); Pierre Browne, Mississauga, Ont.(100, 200, 4X100); Eric Frempong, Toronto(4X100); Anson Henry, Mississauga, Ont.(100, 200, 4X100); Graham Hood, Burlington, Ont.(1,500); Jermaine Joseph, Calgary(200, 4X100); Sean Kaley, Ottawa(5,000, 10,000); Nicolas Macrozonaris, Laval, Que.(100, 4X100); Shane Niemi, Toronto(400); Mike Nolan, Dorchester, Ont.(decathlon); Scott Russell, Windsor, Ont.(javelin); Brad Snyder, Windsor, Ont.(shot put); Nick Stewart, Toronto(400 hurdles); Kevin Sullivan, Brantford, Ont.(1,500); Bruny Surin, Montreal(4X100); Jason Tunks, London, Ont.(discus); Zack Whitmarsh, Victoria(800); Jeff Schiebler, New Westminster, B.C.(5,000, 10,000)

Women: Ladonna Antoine-Watkins, Regina (400, 4X400);Courney Babcock, Chatham, Ont.(5,000); Marisa Cadienhead, Toronto (high jump); Diane Cummins, Victoria (800, 1,500); Dana Ellis, Kitchener, Ont. (pole vault); Nicole Forrester, Mississauga, Ont.(high jump); Michelle Fournier, Pierrefonds, Que.(hammer throw); Karlene Haughton, Markham, Ont.( 400 hurdles, 4X400); Nicole Haynes, Toronto (heptathlon); Jennifer Joyce, Richmond, B.C. (hammer throw); Lindsay Lochhead, Mississauga, Ont.(4X400); Stephanie McCann, Abbotsford, B.C. (pole vault); Lami Oyewumi, Toronto (200, 400, 4X400); Chantal Petitclerc, Montreal (wheelchair); Diane Roy, Lac-des-Aigles, Que. (wheelchair); Ardin Tucker-Anderson, Toronto (pole vault); Angela Whyte, Edmonton (100 hurdles); Althea Williams, Toronto (triple jump); Foy Williams, Etobicoke, Ont.(400, 4X400).

Team managers: Thelma Wright, Vancouver; Derek Covington, Ottawa.

Coaches: Alex Gardiner, Winnipeg; Les Gramantik, Calgary; Wynn Gmitroski, Victoria; Martin Goulet, Montreal; Dave Hunt, Toronto; Molly Killingbeck, Toronto; Jean Laroche, Fleurimont, Que.; Daniel St-Hilaire, Montreal; Amanda Fader, Russell, Ont.; Glenroy Gilbert, Ottawa

BADMINTON
Men: William Milroy, Calgary; Bob Milroy, Calgary; Stefan Wojcikiewicz, Ottawa; Keith Chan, Calgary; Philippe Bourret, Montreal.

Women: Denyse Julien, Rouyn-Noranda, Que.; Tammy Sun, Calgary; Kara Solmundson, Winnipeg; Robbyn Hermitage, Montreal; Milaine Cloutier, Granby, Que.

Team manager: Martha Deacon, Waterloo, Ont.

Coach: Gunther Huber, Vancouver.

BOXING
Sebastien Gauthier, St-Antoine, Que., 51 kilos; Andrew Kooner, Windsor, Ont., 54 kilos; Benoit Gaudet, Drummondville, Que., 57 kilos; Antonin Hortie-Decarie, Montreal, 60 kilos; Roberto Romero, Winnipeg, 63.5 kilos; Ryan Savage, Winnipeg, 67 kilos; Jean Pascal, Montreal, 71 kilos; Michael Walchuck, Regina, 75 kilos; Jason Douglas, 91 kilos, Kitchener, Ont.; David Cadieux, Trois-Rivieres, Que., 91 kilos and over.

Team manager: John O’Shea, Surrey, B.C.

Coaches: Matt Mizerski, Ottawa; Reg Bruno, Winnipeg; Kevin Howard, Mark Ramsey, Montreal.

CYCLING
Men
Mountain bike: Roland Green, Victoria; Geoff Kabush, Courtenay, B.C.; Seamus McGrath, Millgrove, Ont.
Road: Mark Walters, Blackstock, Ont.; Eric Wohlberg, Levack, Ont.; Gord Fraser, Ottawa, Mike Barry, Toronto.
Track: Jim Fisher, Calgary; Tyler Hansen, Victoria; Lars Madsen, St. Albert, Alta.; Steen Madsen, St. Albert.

Women
Mountain bike:Kiara Bisaro, Courtenay, B.C.; Marie-Helene Premont, Chateau-Richer, Que.; Chrissy Redden, Campbellville, Ont.
Road: Lyne Bessette, Knowlton, Que.; Erin Carter, Winnipeg; Clara Hughes, Winnipeg; Genevieve Jeanson, Lachine, Que.
Track: Lori-Ann Muenzer, Edmonton.

Team manager: Warren Lister, Victoria.

Coaches: Yury Kashrin, Victoria; Kurt Innes, Calgary; Jacques Landry, Quebec City.

DIVING
Men: Alexandre Despatie, Laval, Que.; Philippe Comtois, Montreal; Jeff Liberty, Calgary; Julio Abate, Montreal; Nicolas Leblanc, Montreal.

Women: Emilie Heymans, Montreal; Blythe Hartley, North Vancouver, B.C.; Myriam Boileau, Pointe-Claire, Que.; Melanie Rinaldi, Montreal.

Team manager: Anne Warburton, Ottawa

Coaches: Mitch Geller, Victoria; Yi Hua Li, Pointe-Claire, Que.; Igor Kopecky, Calgary.

FIELD HOCKEY
Men: to be named

Women: Sarah Forbes, Toronto; Amy Agulay, London, Ont.; Julia Wong, Vancouver; Andrea Rushton, Victoria; Emily Rix, Toronto; Jenny Johnson, Duncan, B.C.; Sue Tingley, Upper Cape, N.B.; Lisa Faust, Vancouver; Meggan Hunt, Duncan, B.C.; Deb Cuthbert, Guelph, Ont.; Kristen Taunton, Richmond, B.C.; Becky Price, Richmond Hill, Ont.; Stephanie Hume, North Vancouver; Stephanie Jameson, Vancouver; Aoibhinn Grimes, Duncan, B.C.; Kelly Rezansoff, Delta, B.C.

Team manager:Kathryn Duff, Vancouver.

Coaches: Butch Worth, Vancouver; Beth Ali, Ajax, Ont.

GYMNASTICS
Men: Richard Ikeda, Abbotsford, B.C.; David Kikuchi, Halifax; Kyle Shewfelt, Calgary; Grant Golding, Calgary; Brandon O’Neill, Edmonton.

Women: Danielle Hicks, Oshawa, Ont.; Heather Purnell, Metcalfe, Ont.; Vanessa Meloche, Montreal; Kate Richardson, Coquitlam, B.C.; Kylie Stone, Calgary.

Team managers: David Kenwright, Vancouver and Tak Kikuchi, Halifax.

Coaches: Edouar Iarov, Toronto; Tak Kikuchi, Halifax; Takashi Koyabashi, Abbotsford, B.C.; Andrei Rodionenko, Ottawa; Elena Davydova, Oshawa, Ont.; David Kenwright, Vancouver.

JUDO
Men: Daniel-Guillaume Simard, Alma, Que. 60 kilos; Jean-Francois Marceau, Sept-Iles, Que., 73 kilos; Keith Morgan, Calgary, 90 kilos; Nicolas Gill, Montreal, 100 kilos.

Women: Carolyne Lepage, Varennes, Que., 48 kilos; Aminata Sall, Montreal, 52 kilos; Luce Baillargeon, Montreal, 57 kilos; Marie-Helene Chisholm, Port-Cartier, Que., 70 kilos; Jacynthe Maloney, Port-Cartier, 78 kilos.

Team manager: Ewan Beaton, Winnipeg

Coaches: Hiroshi Nakamura, Montreal; Sylvain Hébert, Varennes, Que.

LAWN BOWLS
Men: Ryan Bester, Hanover, Ont.; John Devonshire, Toronto; Chris Stadnyk, Niagara Falls, Ont.; Keith Roney, Regina, Steve Bezanson of Halifax.

Women: Melissa Ranger, Edmonton; Laura Dewald, Regina; Anita Nivala, Regina; Andrea Weigand, Exeter, Ont.; Shirley Fitzpatrick-Wong, Winnipeg; Viviane Berkeley, Kitchener, Ont.

Team manager: Margaret Fettes, Edmonton

Coaches: Brian McCartney, Cornwall, Ont.; Don Mayne, Kitchener, Ont.

NETBALL
Zoe Baldwin, Vancouver; Joanne Burns Millar, Vancouver; Sharon Butler, Toronto; Patricia Carlson, Kamloops, B.C.; Dana Graf, Richmond, B.C.; Shawnette Hardware, Toronto; Asheka Henderson, Burnaby, B.C.; Maralyn Hope, Vancouver; Shirley Anne McKenzie, Toronto; Sheryl Thorpe, Toronto: Shelley Sung, Vancouver; Dulcina Wind, Toronto.

Team manager: Mary Webb, Vancouver

Coach: Ann Willcocks, Vancouver.

RUGBY (17 player pool- 12 to be selected from this group)
Shane Thompson, Montreal; Jim Douglas, Kelowna, B.C.; Marco DiGirolamo, Toronto; Edward Fairhurst, Victoria; Winston Stanley, Victoria; Morgan Williams, Cole Harbour, N.S.; Jeff Williams, Cole Harbour; Nik Witkowski, Montreal; Fred Asselin, Montreal; Matt Cohen, Victoria; Jesse Frender, Victoria; Garth Prouse, North Vancouver; Todd McBride, Surrey, B.C.; Mike Danskin, Victoria; John Cannon, Calgary; Dave Lougheed, Calgary; George Dixon, Duncan, B.C.

Team manager: David Hill, Calgary

Coaches: Doug Tate, Victoria; Ric Suggitt, Victoria.

SHOOTING
Men
Fullbore rifle: Faisal Rahman, Toronto; Patrick Vamplew, Whitby, Ont.
Pistol: Metodi Igorov, Montreal; Jean-Pierre Huot, Thetford-Mines, Que.; Wayne Salhany, Ottawa;
Rifle: Michel Dion, Pont-Rouge, Que.; Gale Stewart, Beauport, Que.; Mario Methot, St-Nicolas, Que.
Skeet: Clayton Miller, Kelowna, B.C.
Trap: Frank Kurenda, Saskatoon
Double trap: Kirk Reynolds, Outlook, Sask.

Women
Pistol: Kim Eagles, Maple Ridge, B.C.; Dorothy Hare, Irricana, Alta.; Violaine Marin, Montreal
Rifle: Sharon Bowes, Waterloo, Ont.; Cari Johnson, Campbell River, B.C.; Jaclyn Mecredy, Campbell River, B.C.
Skeet: Linda Conley, Stittsville, Ont.
Trap: Susan Nattrass, Edmonton.
Double trap: Cynthia Meyer, Bowen Island, B.C.

Team manager: Dennis Shukla, Brampton, Ont.

Coaches: Yvon Mercier, Lac-Mégantic, Que.; William Hare, Irricana, Alta.

SWIMMING
Men: Keith Beavers, Waterloo, Ont.; Mike Brown, Perth, Ont.; Philippe Gagnon, Sherbrooke Que.; Brent Hayden, Vancouver; Benoit Huot, Montreal; Andrew Hurd, Toronto; Craig Hutchison, Toronto; Riley Janes, Etobicoke, Ont.; Brian Johns, Vancouver; Mark Johnston, Vancouver; Morgan Knabe, Calgary; Kurtis MacGillivary, Waterloo, Ont.; Mike Mintenko, Vancouver; Curtis Myden, Calgary;Tobias Oriwol, Etobicoke, Ont., Matt Rose, Peterborough, Ont.; Rick Say, Calgary; Chuck Sayao, Mississauga, Ont.; Adam Sioui, Trenton, Ont.; John Stamhuis, Victoria; Gord Veldman, Kingston, Ont.; Doug Wake, Vancouver.

Women: Danielle Bell, Victoria; Jennifer Button, Waterloo, Ont.; Kristy Cameron, Calgary; Danielle Campo, Windsor, Ont.; Jennifer Carroll, Montreal; Kirby Cote, Winnipeg; Jessica Deglau, Vancouver; Stephanie Dixon, Caledon, Ont.; Dena Durand, Calgary; Jennifer Fratesi, Waterloo, Ont.; Erin Gammel, Calgary; Jenna Gresdal, Etobicoke, Ont.; Audrey Lacroix, Montreal; Rhiannon Leier, Winnipeg; Marianne Limpert, Montreal; Michelle Lischinsky, Winnipeg; Laura Nicholls, Waterloo, Ont.; Christin Petelski, Victoria; Annamay Pierse, Edmonton; Laura Pomeroy, Oakville, Ont.; Sophie Simard, Quebec City; Kelly Stefanyshyn, Vancouver; Elizabeth Warden, Toronto; Elizabeth Wycliffe, Kingston, Ont.

Team managers: Lance Cansdale, Vancouver; Ollie Currie, Edmonton.

Coaches: Dave Johnson, Calgary; Jan Bidrman, Calgary; Vlastimil Cerny, Winnipeg; Andrew Craven, London, Ont.; Ron Jacks, Victoria; Tom Johnson, Vancouver; Linda Kiefer, Toronto; Bud McAllister, Waterloo, Ont.; Mark Temple, Mississauga, Ont.; Kevin Thorburn, Toronto.

SQUASH
Men: Jonathon Power, Montreal; Graham Ryding, Toronto; Shahier Razik, Toronto.

Women: Melanie Jans, Toronto; Margo Green, Halifax.

Team manager: Shauna Flath, Ottawa

Coach: Gene Turk, Winnipeg.

SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING
Claire Carver-Dias, Mississauga, Ont.; Fanny Letourneau, Deux-Montagnes, Que.; Anouk Reniere-Lafreniere, Montreal.

Team manager: Anne Warburton, Ottawa.

Coach: Sherry Robertson, Saskatoon

TABLE TENNIS
Men: Bence Csaba, Ottawa; Pradeeban Peter-Paul, Toronto; Faazil Kassam, Ottawa; Johnny Huang, Toronto.

Women: Petra Cada, Halifax; Chris Xu, Edmonton; Lijuan Geng, Ottawa; Marie-Christine Roussy, Le Gardeur, Que.

Team manager: Christian Foisy, Montreal

Coach: Dejan Papic, Ottawa.

TRIATHLON
Men: Simon Whitfield, Kingston, Ont.; Kelly Guest, Victoria

Women: Sharon Donnelly, Kingston, Ont.; Natasha Filliol, Paris, Ont.; Carol Montgomery, North Vancouver, B.C.

Team manager: Shauna Flath, Ottawa

Coaches: Lance Watson, Victoria; Paul Regensburg, Victoria.

WEIGHTLIFTING
Men: Claude Caouette, Montreal, 77 kilos; Marco Dumberry, Laprairie, Que., 69 kilos; Julien Galipeau, Ste-Barbe, Que., 94 kilos; Guy Marineau, St-Andre-Est, Que., 94 kilos; Akos Sandor, Mississauga, Ont., 105 kilos; Scott McCarthy, Whitehorse, 77 kilos.

Women: Maryse Turcotte, Brossard, Que., 58 kilos; Karine Turcotte, Brossard, 48 kilos; Pascale Dorcelus, Montreal, 63 kilos; Christine Girard, Rouyn-Noranda, Que., 69 kilos; Sue Dandenault, Winnipeg, 75 kilos and over.

Team manager: Paul Barrett, Belleville, Ont.

Coaches: Pierre Bergeron, Montreal; Steve Sandor, Mississauga, Ont.

WRESTLING
Mikheil Japaridze, Montreal, 55 kilos; Guivi Sissaouri, Montreal, 60 kilos; Neal Ewers, Burnaby, B.C., 66 kilos; Daniel Igali, Surrey, B.C., 74 kilos; Nick Ugoalah, Vancouver, 84 kilos; Dean Schmeichel, Regina, 96 kilos; Eric Kirschner, Saskatoon, 120 kilos.

Team manager: Bob Price, Hammond, Ont.

Coaches: Stan Tzogas, Scarborough, Ont.; Doug Cox, Elora, Ont.

-30-

For more information, contact:

[ Return to News Listing ]