LONDON, ENG - AUGUST 11: Day Eight of the 2017 IAAF World Track & Field Championships on August 11, 2017 at Olympic Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Park in London, England. Photo: Claus Andersen

Athletics Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee announced today the 46 athletes who have been selected to represent Canada at the 2019 Pan American Games taking place in Lima, Peru, from July 26 to Aug. 11. The team, comprised of 19 men and 27 women, will focus on contributing to the overall Canadian medal count and improving on its 27 podium finishes (11 gold, 7 silver and 9 bronze) from the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games.

The Canadian contingent heading to Lima features 18 athletes who competed on home soil in 2015 and 28 first-time Pan American Games participants. Of the 18 athletes who competed at Toronto 2015, seven stood on the podium, including decathlete Damian Warner (gold) and steeplechaser Geneviève Lalonde (bronze), who hope to repeat or better their success in 2019 alongside their Canadian teammates.

“For me, the goal heading into every competition is to win. On the day of the event, it’s taking care of all the little things to make that a real possibility,” said Damian Warner. “Some of my top competitors in decathlon will be at Pan Ams, which will give me another opportunity to compete against them prior to the World Championships this fall. It will also serve as an opportunity to test some events and see what needs to be worked on or changed before my focus turns to Doha.”

The 2019 season has rejuvenated Lalonde, whose primary event is the 3000-metre steeplechase. “It’s been a really great year, my team has been extremely consistent with training and very diligent with recovery. I have also been rewarded with some amazing experiences at the World Cross Country Championships (Canada’s best finish by a woman since 2004) and Speed River Inferno where I set a new personal best in the 1500-metres,” said Lalonde. “My goal at Pan Ams is to compete to the best of my abilities and to wear the Canadian singlet with pride. It would be great to upgrade my medal from 2015 and to see how fast I can run.”

The Pan American Games serve as a vital component towards development, as was seen in 2015 with breakout performances by Rio 2016 triple Olympic medallist Andre De Grasse (100m, 200m,  4x100m relay), World silver medallist Melissa Bishop (800m), World Champion Shawn Barber (pole vault) and Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallist Derek Drouin (high jump). A total of 38 of 90 athletes from the 2015 Pan American Games team went on to represent Canada at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, which means Canadians can expect to see a number of outstanding performances in Lima that will lead to positive results in Tokyo.

Athletics competitions will be held at National Sports Village (VIDENA) from Aug. 6 to Aug. 10, with the exception of the marathons (July 27) and race walks (Aug. 4 and Aug. 11) that will be held at Kennedy Park.

“Anytime you get to put on the Team Canada singlet it’s a special feeling,” said Warner. “When I first got into track, that was one of my biggest goals. Now, I’ve had the pleasure of representing Canada a handful of times and it still feels special every time.”

“I always tell people it’s like stepping into your superhero suit,” added Lalonde. “Wearing the Canadian singlet gives your performance a whole new meaning and ups the adrenaline, too. It is such an honour to represent your country with pride.”

The list of Canadian track and field athletes, coaches and staff selected to the 2019 Pan American Games team includes:

Athletes    
NameEvent(s)Personal CoachHometownClub Affiliation
Kelsie AhbeWomen’s pole vaultJim BemillerToronto, Ont.Unattached
Mobolade AjomaleMen’s 100m, 4x100m relayKevin LasureThornhill West, Ont.Flying Angels Track & Field Academy
Marco AropMen’s 800mRon ThompsonEdmonton, Alta.Voleo Athletics
Ashlan BestWomen’s 4x100m relayGabe SandersGuelph, Ont.Speed River Track and Field Club
Mathieu BilodeauMen’s 50km race walkDavid GagnonCanmore, Alta.Unattached
Khamica Bingham*Women’s 4x100m relayDennis ShaverBrampton, Ont.Brampton Track Club
Jerome BlakeMen’s 200m, 4x100m relayTara SelfVancouver, B.C.Coquitlam Cheetahs Track and Field Club
Maïté BouchardWomen’s 800mSimon CroteauSherbrooke, Que.Athlétisme Sherbrooke
Leya BuchananWomen’s 100m, 4x100m relayJohn SmithMississauga, Ont.Unattached
Lindsey ButterworthWomen’s 800mBrit TownsendNorth Vancouver, B.C.Coastal Track Club
Johnathan Cabral*Men’s 110m hurdlesTim O’NeilPeribonka, Que.Unattached
Keira Christie-GallowayWomen’s 100m hurdlesHugh ConlinOttawa, Ont.Ottawa Lions Track & Field Club
Rachel CliffWomen’s 10,000mRichard LeeVancouver, B..CMile2Marathon
Kyra ConstantineWomen’s 400m, 4x400m relayCaryl Smith GilbertBrampton, Ont.Project Athletics Track and Field Program
Brittany CrewWomen’s shot putRichard ParkinsonToronto, OntSISU Throws Club
Evan Dunfee*Men’s 50km race walk, 20km race walkGerald DragomirRichmond, B.C.Racewalk West
Georgia EllenwoodHeptathlonNate DavisLangley, B.C.Langley Mustangs Track and Field Club
Crystal Emmanuel*Women’s 100m, 200m, 4x100m relayCharles AllenToronto, Ont.Flying Angels Track & Field Academy
Ben FlanaganMen’s 10,000mChris FoxKitchener, Ont.Unattached
Phylicia George*Women’s 100m hurdles, 4x100m relayDarryl WoodsonMarkham, Ont.Flying Angels Track & Field Academy
Liz Gleadle*Women’s javelinLaurier PrimeauVancouver, B.C.Vancouver Thunderbirds Track & Field Club
Travia JonesWomen’s 4x400m relayDarryl WoodsonRegina, Sask.Unattached
Geneviève Lalonde*Women’s 3000m steeplechaseDave Scott-ThomasMoncton, N.B.Speed River Track and Field Club
Pierce LePageMen’s decathlonGregory PortnoyWhitby, Ont.Unattached
Rory LinkletterMen’s 10,000mEd EyestoneCalgary, Alta.Unattached
Django LovettMen’s high jumpZbigniew SzelagowiczSurrey, B.C.Kajaks Track & Field Club
Michael Mason*Men’s high jumpJeff HuntoonNanoose Bay, B.C.Nanaimo Track and Field Club
Brandon McBride*Men’s 800mKurt DownesWindsor, Ont.Border City Athletics Club
Natassha McDonaldWomen’s 400m, 4x400m relayWellesley JohnsonBrampton, Ont.Project Athletics Track and Field Program
Sarah MittonWomen’s shot putRichard ParkinsonBrooklyn, N.S.SISU Throws Club
Tim Nedow*Men’s shot putDarrin ReesalBrockville, Ont.Ottawa Lions Track & Field Club
Christabel Nettey*Women’s long jumpStuart McMillanSurrey, B.C.Unattached
Alysha NewmanWomen’s pole vaultDoug WoodDelaware, Ont.Bolton Pole Vault
Jessica O’Connell*Women’s 5000mMike Van TighenBrampton, Ont.University of Calgary Athletics Club
William PaulsonMen’s 1500mCory LeslieQuebec, Que.Club d’Athlétisme de l’Université Laval
Brendon Rodney*Men’s 200m, 4x100m relayMaurice WilsonEtobicoke, Ont.Unattached
Camryn RogersWomen’s hammer throwMohamad SaataraRichmond, B.C.Kajaks Track & Field Club
Andrea SeccafienWomen’s 5000mNic BideauGuelph, Ont.Monarch Athletics Club
 

Ryan Smeeton

Men’s 3000m steeplechaseDave SmithCalgary, Alta.Unattached
Gavin Smellie*Men’s 100m, 4x100m relayMilt OtteyBrampton, Ont.Flying Angels Track & Field Academy
Aiyanna StiverneWomen’s 200m, 4x100m relay, 4x400m relayRonald MorencyLaval, Que.Unattached
Damian Warner*Men’s decathlon, 4x100m relayGar LeyshonLondon, Ont.Unattached
Sage Watson*Women’s 400m hurdles, 4x400m relayFred HarveyMedicine Hat, Alta.Unattached
Jillian WeirWomen’s hammer throwLarry SteinkeKingston, Ont.Unattached
Natasha Wodak*Women’s 10,000mLynn KanukaNorth Vancouver, B.C.Prairie Inn Harriers
Regan YeeWomen’s 3000m steeplechaseMark BombaSouth Hazelton, B.C.Langley Mustangs Track and Field Club
Coaches and Staff 
NameRoleHometown
Glenroy GilbertTeam Head CoachOttawa, Ont.
Charles AllenTeam CoachToronto, Ont.
Kurt DownesTeam CoachWindsor, Ont.
Heather HennigarTeam CoachVictoria. B.C.
Jeff HuntoonTeam CoachToronto, Ont.
Richard ParkinsonTeam CoachStouffville, Ont.
Larry SteinkeTeam CoachLethbridge, Alta.
Mike Van TighemTeam CoachSummerland, B.C.
Simon NathanTeam LeaderOttawa, Ont.
Jared MacLeodTeam ManagerWinnipeg, Man.
Jessica ScarlatoTeam ManagerRichmond Hill, Ont.
Andrea StephenTeam IST Lead and PhysiotherapistToronto, Ont.
Dr. Melina ThibodeauTeam PhysicianVictoria, B.C.
Danielle Chow-LeongTeam Massage TherapistToronto, Ont.
Eric CordaTeam Massage TherapistSarnia, Ont.
Dr. Simon PearsonTeam ChiropractorVictoria, B.C.
Dana WayTeam BiomechanistWinnipeg Beach, Man.

*Represented Canada at the 2015 Pan American Games

Lima 2019, which will run from July 26 to Aug. 11, will bring together approximately 6,700 athletes from 41 nations of the Americas and feature 62 disciplines in 39 sports. It will be the largest sporting event ever held in Peru.