Team of 126 Canadian athletes ready to compete in Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

Ottawa, August 13, 2024 A team of 126 athletes, including competition partners, will represent Canada at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, the Canadian Paralympic Committee announced Tuesday.

Canada will compete in 18 sports in Paris: wheelchair basketball (24 athletes), para-swimming (22), para-athletics (20), sitting volleyball (12), wheelchair rugby (12), para-cycling (7), goalball (6), boccia (5, including one competition partner), para-canoeing (3), para-equestrian (3), para-triathlon (3), wheelchair fencing (3), para-archery (1), para-badminton (1), para-judo (1), para-rowing (1), para-table tennis (1) and wheelchair tennis (1).

A dedicated team of 117 coaches and National Sport Organization (NSO) support staff will work with the athletes in Paris. Canada will send a total delegation of 336 people, including athletes, coaches, NSO support staff, CPC staff and support team members.

CLICK HERE to view the full list of the Canadian Paralympic team for Paris 2024.

What an incredible team of 126 athletes, said Karolina Wisniewska, co-chef de mission, Paris 2024 Canadian Paralympic Team. This is such a successful team, with so many experienced athletes and exciting newcomers. The Paralympic Games are the pinnacle of sport and every athlete should be immensely proud to be a Paralympic athlete and to reach this stage. There will be so many amazing and compelling performances during the 11 days of competition in Paris, as we watch greatness move our Canadian athletes. I encourage all of Canada to celebrate this team!

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will be a landmark event for the Paralympic Movement and an incredible showcase of sporting excellence, disability pride and the radical power of inclusion, said Josh Vander Vies, co-chef de mission, Paris 2024 Canadian Paralympic Team. Congratulations to all 126 athletes selected for the Paris team; they are all incredible ambassadors for Paralympic sport and Canadian sport. I am so proud to lead this team alongside my co-chef Karolina, and together we can’t wait to cheer on and support every athlete in Paris.

About the Canadian Paralympic Team for Paris 2024:

• The selection consists of 87 Paralympians
• Four athletes will compete in their sixth Paralympic Games: Pat Anderson (wheelchair basketball), Brent Lakatos (Para-athletics), Cindy Ouellet (four in wheelchair basketball and one in Para-cross-country skiing) and Mike Whitehead (wheelchair rugby).
• Another five Paralympic athletes will be competing at their fifth Games in Paris: Amy Burk (goalball), Bo Hedges (wheelchair basketball), Trevor Hirschfield (wheelchair rugby), Travis Murao (wheelchair rugby) and Katarina Roxon (para-swimming).
• 39 athletes will make their Paralympic debut. At 47, Para table tennis player Peter Isherwood is the oldest debutant.
• A total of 26 Paralympic medal winners will compete in Paris
• This includes 12 multi-medalists: Brent Lakatos (11 medals), Aurelie Rivard (10), Pat Anderson (4), Mike Whitehead (3), and eight others with two medals (Charles Moreau, Danielle Dorris, Katarina Roxon, Nicolas-Guy Turbide, Stefan Daniel, Bo Hedges, Trevor Hirschfield, and Travis Murao)
• Fourteen medalists return from Tokyo 2020: Zach Gingras, Marissa Papaconstantinou, Brent Lakatos, Greg Stewart, Nate Riech, Kate O'Brien, Keely Shaw, Priscilla Gagne, Danielle Dorris, Aurelie Rivard, Sabrina Duchesne, Katarina Roxon, Nicolas-Guy Turbide and Stefan Daniel
• 10 athletes are Paralympic champions: Aurelie Rivard, Katarina Roxon and Danielle Dorris in Para swimming, Nate Riech, Greg Stewart and Brent Lakatos in Para athletics, and Pat Anderson, Bo Hedges, Chad Jassman and Tyler Miller in wheelchair basketball
• Four athletes on the list competed in the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games: Pat Anderson, Yuka Chokyu (wheelchair tennis, now competing in Para-badminton), Lance Cryderman (boccia; making his Paralympic comeback 24 years after his debut) and Ruth Sylvie Morel (wheelchair fencing).
• Four athletes have competed in other sports at the Paralympic Games: Yuka Chokyu (three-time Paralympic wheelchair tennis champion, who made her Para badminton debut), Nathan Clement (four-time Paralympic swimming champion in 2016, who made his Para cycling debut), Cindy Ouellet (four-time Paralympic wheelchair basketball champion, who was also the 2018 Paralympic cross-country skiing champion) and Mel Pemble (competed in the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in Para alpine skiing, where she made her Para cycling debut in Paris).
• The oldest and youngest team members will celebrate their birthdays at the Games in Paris on September 2. Wheelchair fencer Ruth Sylvie Morel, who is competing in her fourth Paralympic Games at the age of 67, will turn 68, while the youngest team member is 16-year-old Reid Maxwell, who will turn 17.
• The list includes 69 athletes who identify as female, 56 athletes who identify as male, and one athlete who uses the pronouns “they”/“them.”
• Nine provinces are represented: Ontario (45 athletes), Quebec (21), British Columbia (21), Alberta (18), Saskatchewan (10), New Brunswick (5), Manitoba (2), Prince Edward Island (1) and Newfoundland & Labrador (1), with an additional two foreign athletes.

As the Official Broadcaster of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, CBC/Radio-Canada will provide extensive coverage across its platforms, showcasing the achievements of Paralympians to a nationwide audience. Audiences can tune in to CBC/Radio-Canada’s Paris 2024 coverage from August 28 to September 8 on CBC, CBC Gem, CBC’s Paris 2024 website (cbc.ca/paris2024) and the CBC Paris 2024 app in English, and on ICI TL, ICI TOU.TV, Radio-Canada.ca/paris2024 and the Radio-Canada Paralympiques app in French.

Canadians can show their support for the Canadian Paralympic team and inclusive, accessible sport through the Paralympic Foundation of Canada’s IGNITE the Light campaign. IGNITE the Light aims to raise $1 million for the development of Paralympic sport in Canada by filling a virtual stadium with national pride and encouragement. Supporters can purchase a virtual seat for $25, with donors receiving a unique and personalized virtual seat in the form of a custom image to share on their social media platforms. The campaign, which runs until the end of the Paralympic Games, has currently raised more than $179,000. Visit Paralympic.ca/IGNITE to purchase your seat.

We also encourage Canadians to join the CPC's CAN Crew cheer squad to receive the latest information about the Canadian Paralympic Team on its journey to Paris and the Games directly to their email inbox. CLICK HERE to sign up for free.

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games begin in 15 days, with the Opening Ceremony on August 28. The competition begins on August 29 and runs until the final day, September 8.