With a goal of connecting more women with disabilities to the potential of Paralympic sports and attracting more female athletes, the Canadian Paralympic Committee is organizing a virtual event for participants this spring. (Photo: Canadian Paralympic Committee)
Women with disabilities who play sports in Canada are invited to participate in the Canadian Virtual Event.Paralympic Athletes Wanted – Connect 2021»Organized by the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC).
We know that there are fewer women accessing paralympics in Canada, whether at the highest level of Paralympic sports or at the community or leisure level. This virtual event is an innovative way in which we hope to encourage more women with disabilities to participate in sports and learn how we can create better environments within our sports system for our athletes. Our goal for June 5 and 6 is to provide participants with safe, welcoming, and inclusive sessions, as well as resources for the future that allow each of them to have a positive experience and feel empowered to participate and stay in the sport.Karen O’Neill, Director General of the Canadian Paralympic Committee
The program will include informational sessions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities.
In recent years, Paralympiens Recherchés / Paralympian Search has been held in cities across the country, including Toronto, Montreal, Victoria, Calgary, Ottawa / Gatineau, Halifax and Kelowna. Due to COVID-19, this year’s event has been redesigned, and the updated version will be presented in default mode, allowing women from all over Canada to network and participate.
CPC works with several researchers and experts in the field of disability and sports to create an event coordination that provides the best possible experience for participants.
Participants will be able to discover various semi-sports such as sports federations and with Paralympic athletes in the Colette Bourgogne Hall of Fame (Nordic skating and Para Athletics Games), Carolina Wisniewska (alpine skiing), Tokyo 2020 competition Jennifer Brown (Para-Athletics), Marisa Papaconstantinou ( Paratheletics), Andrea Nelson (former paragliding and Paralympic student), and Beijing 2022 competitor Sandrine Hamel (figure skating).
The Canadian Institute of Sport – Ontario from Calgary and Quebec will also participate in the event, and participants will have the opportunity to hear from the athletes from their sports teams.
They will also network with disabled athletes and athletes with special needs who will act as event ambassadors over the course of the two days. As ambassadors, they will share their experiences with the participants and answer their questions.
Paralympians Wanted has been a very positive experience for me and has set me on this wonderful path to Paralympic sports. I am so excited to have had the opportunity to help bring this sport to women. I think showing the many ways sport can be a part of people’s lives is a great initiative. I hope that by sharing my story, you will help the women attending the event to gain confidence and feel empowered to start their own path in Parsport. »Andrea Nelson, Parathlet
Interested parties can express their interest before May 15, 2021. A maximum of 25 participants will be selected. Participants must be based in Canada.
/thumbs.vodgc.net/1-14-S15FuR1714053755879_480P.jpg)
