CW Connections at the 2024 Paris Games

July 29, 2024 – With the 2024 Paris Games officially underway, there are plenty of Canada West connections for fans to cheer on at both the Olympic and Paralympic games this summer.

Among the participants are an impressive list of current and former student-athletes, coaches, and support staff set to represent Canada and a host of other countries.

The Paris Olympic Games will run until Aug. 11, with the Paralympic Games to follow from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8.

CW Member Olympic Connections

Alberta Pandas sprinter Amanda Rummery has punched her ticket to Paris, officially qualifying for the 2024 Paralympic Games after narrowly missing a spot at the 2021 Tokyo Games. The MacEwan University graduate and current University of Alberta Education student and Pandas Track athlete met the standard in the Para Ambulatory 400m with a time of 59.08.

Former Panda soccer player and current track cycling star Kelsey Mitchell also returns to the 2024 Olympics, looking to defend the gold medal she won in the women's track cycling sprint competition at the Tokyo Games. The Sherwood Park, Alta. product competed with the Pandas Soccer team from 2012-14, helping the Pandas capture the 2013 Canada West Championship and 2013 CIS bronze medal.

Two former Alberta Golden Bear MVB legends will wear the maple leaf with the Canadian men's volleyball national team, including Brett Walsh and Ryley Barnes. U of A graduate Daniel Gu also qualified for his first Olympic Games, as he will represent Canada in Fencing. Aleah Nickel, who wrestled with the Pandas from 2019-24, has been named an alternate for the Paris games. Alberta also sports an impressive list of coaching and support staff connections, including Canadian Women's Sitting Volleyball team head coach Nicole Ban. Dr. Kristin Anstey is the Team Physician for the Canadian Women's Basketball team, while Michael Cook is the Lead, Strength & Conditioning for the Volleyball Canada Men's Indoor team. 

The MacEwan Griffins will be well represented at the Paralympic Games, with a medley of connections to the Canadian Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team. Current MacEwan student Heidi Peters, as well as MacEwan alumni Allison E. Lang and Sarah Melenka, will all suit up and represent the maple leaf at the games. They will be coached by a pair of former Griffins women’s volleyball players in head coach Nicole Ban and assistant coach Kate Rozendaal.

Lethbridge Pronghorn supporters will have lots to cheer for, including Horns women's basketball assistant coaches Paige Crozon and Kacie Bosch shooting for gold as members of Canada's 3x3 basketball team. Former Horns men's swimming star Apollo Hess was named to the Canadian swimming team after placing second in the men’s 100m breaststroke at the 2024 Canada Olympic Swimming trials. Former Pronghorn women's soccer and track star Sarah Orban will represent Canada in track cycling, and current Pronghorns track & field head coach and U of L alumn Larry Steinke is coaching at his sixth Olympics for Track and Field (throws).

Recently graduated Calgary Dinos swimmer Rebecca Smith will be attending her second Olympics with the Canadian swimming team. Calgary will also be cheering on former Dinos distance runner Stefan Daniel, who will be competing at the Paris Paralympic Games in the triathlon. Daniel claimed silver in the event at Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020.

UBC Okanagan XC head coach Malindi Elmore has qualified for Paris in the women’s marathon, looking to build on a ninth place finish at Tokyo 2020.

Regina's Ovesh Purahoo will represent Mauritius in men's swimming at the 2024 Olympics. Purahoo is a Faculty of Kinesiology & Health Studies student majoring in human kinetics and will compete in the men's 100-metre freestyle in Paris. 

The Manitoba Bisons will be cheering on swimmer Kelsey Wog, who booked her ticket by finishing second in the women's 200-metre breaststroke final at Canada's swim trials. She finished with a time of 2:23.80, just 100th of a second back of event winner Sydney Pickrem. Wog will be joined in Paris by current Bisons head coach Vlastik Cerny. Former Bisons volleyball setter Luke Herr will be wearing the maple leaf with the men's volleyball national team, while current Bisons women's basketball head coach Michele Sung will be in Paris coaching the Canadian women's wheelchair basketball team.

Brandon University is represented by Schad Richea, who heads to Paris as an Athletic Therapist with the Canadian Men's Volleyball national team.

A medley of Trinity Western alums will be heading to Paris, including three named to the Canadian men's volleyball national team in Eric Loeppky, Lucas Van Berkel and Brodie Hofer. Cyclist Alison Jackson, who was a 5-time Canada West medallist with the Spartans in cross country and track and field, will represent Canada in the road race. Regan Yee, also a decorated Spartan Track & Field alum who was a 5-time U SPORTS medallist, will compete for Canada in steeplechase.

Thompson Rivers men's volleyball fans will once again be cheering on Kevin Tillie as he enters his third Olympic games. The former WolfPack outside hitter will represent Team France, looking to defend the gold medal they won at Tokyo 2020. TRU's Greg Stewart will also be in Paris representing Team Canada, looking to defend the gold medal in shot put that he won at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

The Saskatchewan Huskies will be represented on the track and on the court. Former Track & Field star Michelle Harrison will be chasing gold in the 100m Hurdles, and is currently ranked #2 in Canada in the event. Current Huskies women's basketball head coach Lisa Thomaidis returns to the Olympics as head coach of the German women's basketball team, and will be joined by assistant coach Connor Jay.

A pair of former Victoria Vikes women's rugby stars will don the maple leaf in Rugby 7s, with Carissa Norsten and Krissy Scurfield being named to Team Canada. While they didn't compete in U SPORTS, UVic is also excited to cheer on alumni Avalon Wasteneys and Caileigh Filmer, who will look to defend their Tokyo 2020 gold medal for Canada in women's rowing.

The UNBC Timberwolves will be cheering on a trio of alums in the Paralympic Games, including Kady Dandeneau as she suits up for the Canadian women's wheelchair basketball team. Dandeneau played for the T-Wolves WBB program from 2007-13 and was a member of the Timberwolves' inaugural season in Canada West. She has been a also a previous Legacy keynote speaker at the university. And while not Timberwolves alumni, the entire Prince George community will be cheering for a pair of UNBC grads in Joel Ewert and Bo Hedges. Ewert was named to Canada’s Wheelchair Rugby team and has been part of the national wheelchair rugby team since 2017. Hedges will represent Canada in Wheelchair Basketball.

The UFV Cascades have a pair of former student-athletes represented in Paris. Ana Godinez Gonzalez will represent Canada in wrestling, while rugby 7’s player Shalaya Valenzuela is an alternate with team Canada.

The UBC Thunderbirds have a sizeable contingent of Olympic connections, especially in the pool. Current T-Birds Blake Tierney (Men’s Swimming – 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, 4x100 medley relay) and Emma O’Croinin (Women’s Swimming – 4x200 free relay) will look to make a splash for Team Canada, alongside UBC alumni Ingrid Wilm (Women’s Swimming – 100 backstroke) and Yuri Kisil (Men’s Swimming – 100 free, 4x100 free relay). Former T-Bird Karen Tam (Women’s Swimming – 4x100 free relay) will also be in Paris, competing for Hong Kong.

T-Birds MVB alumnus Fynn McCarthy has been named to Canada's men's volleyball roster, and will be joined by current UBC men's volleyball head coach Mike Hawkins, who will serve as an assistant coach with the national team in Paris.

Other UBC connections include alumna Kristen Kit, Kristina Walker and Jessica Sevick competing for Canada in Women’s Rowing. Former T-Birds rugby stars Florence Symonds and Piper Logan will suit up for Canada in Rugby 7s, while Kieran Lumb, a former T-Bird XC star who won U SPORTS individual gold in 2019, will represent Canada in the Men’s 1500m.

UBC alumnus and current Track & Field Race Walk Coach Evan Dunfee will compete in the Men’s 20K Race Walk and Marathon Race Walk Relay. Dunfee captured a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 games.

While not U SPORTS connections, UBC will also be cheering on alumnus Rowan Hamilton (Men’s hammer throw) and Olivia Lundman (Marathan Race Walk Relay).

Did we miss a CW connection in Paris? Email jamin.heller@canadawest.org to fill us in!