Toronto, ON March 23, 2004 The Spirit of Sport Foundation (SSF) officially announced the winners of the 31st Annual Canadian Sport Awards, presented by Investors Group, tonight at a gala event at CBC headquarters in Toronto.
Among the winners, Beckie Scott was honoured with the Spirit of Sport Story of the Year. This award recognizes a Canadian hero who, in the pursuit of sporting excellence, has demonstrated values such as dedication, perseverance, sportsmanship, respect for others, and a true love of sport in 2003. Awarded an Olympic gold medal almost two years after her race in the Winter Olympic Games, she is an international role model for fair and ethical sport.
Highlights from tonights awards ceremony include:
- Perdita Felicien was awarded Female Athlete of the Year;
- David Ford was named Male Athlete of the Year;
- Mens Rowing Eight were awarded Partners of the Year;
- Womens World Cup Soccer Team won Female Team of the Year;
- Mens World Championship Hockey Team won Male Team of the Year;
- Mike Spracklen was named Coach of the Year.
At the awards ceremony, Huntsville, ON, Kitchener, ON, and the province of Québec and the 21 local action committees supported by the project Québec En Forme were honoured as Canadian communities that best exemplify sporting excellence, fairness, and inclusion in their community sport programs as part of the True Sport Community Recognition Program, new to this years Canadian Sport Awards. For more information on the True Sport Movement, please visit us at www.truesportpur.ca.
The Spirit of Sport Foundation proudly applauds the winners of the 31st Annual Canadian Sport Awards for their outstanding accomplishments in amateur sport, said Victor Lachance, chairperson, Spirit of Sport Foundation. Recognizing the achievements of these Canadian heroes furthers our vision of a country that celebrates the positive values that sport contributes to society -- respect, honesty, inclusion, fair play, discipline, commitment, and effort.
Investors Group congratulates tonights winners for their hard work, dedication, and achievement, said Richard Irish, vice-president of community affairs and area marketing, Investors Group. The celebration of sporting excellence makes a positive contribution to our communities. These athletes are positive role models for our youth and, as a result, contribute to their physical and moral development.
Congratulations to all the nominees and winners of the 31st Annual Canadian Sport Awards, said Minister of State (Sport) Stan Keyes. These athletes, coaches, and volunteers demonstrate the hard work, dedication, and courage necessary to succeed, and their accomplishments help form the dreams of our next generation of sport heroes. They are role models for all Canadians and truly embody the spirit of sport.
The 31st Annual Canadian Sport Awards brought together more than 700 leaders from the sporting and corporate communities who represent the pinnacle of commitment, passion, and competition, including Canadian amateur athletes, coaches, sport leaders, and volunteers. Veteran sports broadcaster Ron MacLean hosted the ceremony, which will air at 7:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 on CBC Television.
Each November, the Spirit of Sport Foundation calls for nominations from the general public and the Canadian sporting community. Accepted nominations are forwarded to the Selection Advisory Committee (SAC) for initial review and sent to two juries. Jury ballots for all categories are submitted to KPMG directly for independent final tally.
WINNERS OF THE 31st ANNUAL CANADIAN SPORT AWARDS
ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE AWARDS
The winners in the Athletic Performance Category for the 31st Annual Canadian Sport Awards, recognizing and celebrating outstanding athletic performance in 2003, are:
Male Athlete of the Year:
David Ford, Whitewater Slalom Kayaking
Canadian National Kayaking Champion and first place finisher in the International Canoe Federation (ICF) 2003 World Cup Ranking event.
Hometown: Chilliwack, BC
Female Athlete of the Year:
Perdita Felicien, Track and Field - Hurdles
Gold medallist in 100-metre hurdles at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships and second-place finisher at the 2003 Pan American Games.
Hometown: Pickering, ON
Junior Male Athlete of the Year:
Alexandre Despatie, Diving
Winner of the mens 10-metre platform event at the 2003 FINA World Aquatics Championships.
Hometown: Laval, QC
Junior Female Athlete of the Year:
Shannon Rempel, Speed Skating Long Track
First overall at the World Junior Speed Skating Championships and eighth in the 1,000-metre event at the World Sprint Speed Skating Championships.
Hometown: Calgary, AB
Partners of the Year:
Mens Rowing Eight
2003 World Rowing Champions and first place finishers at the World Rowing Cup.
Hometown: Victoria, BC
Male Team of the Year:
World Championship Hockey Team
Gold medal winners at the 2003 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Mens World Hockey Championship.
Female Team of the Year:
World Cup Soccer Team
Fourth place finishers at the 2003 Womens World Cup and the first Canadian senior team to ever win a game at a World Cup soccer competition.
LEADERSHIP AWARDS
The winners in the Leadership Awards Category for the 31st Annual Canadian Sport Awards, recognizing and celebrating an individuals outstanding contribution to the betterment of sport in 2003, are:
Athlete Leadership Award:
Carla Qualtrough, Paralympic Swimmer / Athletes CAN
Advisor to the Secretary of State for Amateur Sport and Physical Activity, and vice chair of Athletes CAN, Qualtrough works to promote and educate about the concerns of athletes, particularly athletes with disabilities.
Hometown: Ottawa, ON
Leadership in Sport Award:
John Furlong, Canadian Olympic Committee
President and CEO of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Bid Corporation.
Hometown: Vancouver, BC
Volunteer Achievement Award:
Dr. Ross Outerbridge, Water Ski Canada
Chief medical officer for the 2002 Commonwealth Games and chéf de mission for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Hometown: Kamloops, BC
Coach of the Year:
Mike Spracklen, Rowing
Coach of the Canadian National Rowing Team, including the gold medal-winning mens eight and mens coxless four teams.
Hometown: Sidney, BC
SPIRIT OF SPORT STORY OF THE YEAR
The winner of the Spirit of Sport Story of the Year award, created to recognize and celebrate a Canadian hero who, in the pursuit of sporting excellence, has demonstrated values such as dedication, perseverance, sportsmanship, respect for others, and a true love of sport in 2003, is:
Beckie Scott, Cross Country Skiing
Awarded an Olympic Gold Medal almost two years after her race in the Winter Olympic Games. She is an international role model for fair and ethical sport.
Hometown: Vermilion, AB
TRUE SPORT COMMUNITY RECOGNITION PROGRAM
The communities recognized for the first-ever True Sport Community Recognition Program, created to recognize Canadian communities for their best practices, commitment and accomplishments in their community-based sports programs, are:
- Huntsville, Ontario
- Kitchener, Ontario
- Province of Québec and the 21 local action committees supported by the project Québec En Forme
CORPORATE EXCELLENCE AWARDS
The winners of the Corporate Excellence awards for the 31st Annual Canadian Sport Awards, recognizing and celebrating corporations who provided outstanding support to Canadian sport in 2003, are:
Individual Athlete Support:
Speedo
National Team Support:
Visa Canada Association
National Initiative Support:
Investors Group
Canadian Sport Awards Sponsors
The 31st Annual Canadian Sport Awards is presented by Investors Group, and Official Partner, Sport Canada and the Official Broadcaster, CBC Sports; event Gold Sponsors: Cheerios and HBC; Silver Sponsor: Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC); and Bronze Sponsors: Air Canada, Holiday Inn On King, Algonquin Travel & MKI Conference Management and Timex. In addition, Canada News Wire, Willow Heights Winery, Christine Bib catering, Tim Hortons, and AVW-Telav are Supplier Sponsors. KPMG LLP, also a Supplier Sponsor, serves as the scrutineer for the Awards by independently counting the ballots, and determining the finalists and winners in each award category.
The Spirit of Sport Foundation
The Spirit of Sport Foundation is a charitable organization committed to ensuring that sport makes a positive contribution to Canadian society, our athletes, and the physical and moral development of Canadas youth. Powered by the Foundation, the Canadian Sport Awards boasts a strong relationship with its modern day founding partners, which include Athletes CAN, COMMONWEALTH Games Canada, the Canada Games Council, and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport.
For more information on the 31st Annual Canadian Sport Awards and the Spirit of Sport Foundation, visit the Spirit of Sport Foundations web site, www.spiritofsport.ca
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