Tarik VanWieren Amongst 79 Canadian Athletes Heading to Youth Olympic Games
TORONTO (January 11, 2024) – On Thursday, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) announced the Canadian delegation of 79 athletes, 32 coaches and National Sport Organization support staff and 14 COC Mission Team that will participate in the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
YOG are the world’s largest multi-sport event for high-performance youth athletes aged 14 – 18. Gangwon 2024 will officially open on Friday, January 19 and continue through Thursday, February 1. It will feature a fully gender-balanced sporting programme, with seven sports, 15 disciplines, and a total of 81 events. This will be the fourth edition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games and the first to take place in Asia. In the spirit of sustainability, Gangwon 2024 will use many of the same venues that were used for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, and will take place in Gangneung, PyeongChang, Hoengseong, and Jeongseon in the Gangwon province of South Korea.
The full list of Team Canada athletes and coaches and support staff with breakdown by sport and hometown can be downloaded here*.
More than medals or records, the aim of the Youth Olympic Games is to provide young athletes with an enriching experience that introduces them to the concept of an international major Games. A core component of the YOG is the Athlete Education Programme, which is intended to maximize the learning experience of all the athletes. At the YOG, young athletes will learn about safeguarding essentials, preventing competition manipulation, staying mentally fit and anti-doping.
“This is a great opportunity for young athletes to continue their development, while gaining valuable experience at a multi-sport Games,” said Eric Myles, Chief Sport Officer of the Canadian Olympic Committee. “We are confident in the benefits the Youth Olympic Games can bring, including seeing those that have even gone on to compete in the Olympic Games.”
Team Canada’s Gangwon 2024 delegation includes three Olympians (Audrey Robichaud, Christopher Spring, and Scott Davis) who will attend the Games as coaches, as well as two-time Olympian Lisa Weagle, Team Canada’s Gangwon 2024 Chef de Mission.
“What an exciting time for the 79 athletes named to Team Canada as well as the entire Canadian delegation!” said Weagle. “The future is bright for Canada’s next generation of athletes, and I hope they will all soak in the experience of competing at the Youth Olympic Games while taking pride in wearing the maple leaf. As Chef de Mission, I look forward to cheering on our athletes and helping create a safe, supportive environment for them to achieve their full potential.”
Another Olympian, Ryan Sommer, will also serve on Team Canada’s Mission Team. The Beijing 2022 bronze medallist in bobsleigh will act as Team Canada’s Village Administration Lead as part of the International Olympic Committee’s Athlete Transition Program. The initiative, piloted at the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games, is an extension of Athlete365 Career+. It provides an opportunity for former elite athletes who wish to pursue a career in the field of sports administration and Games operations. The program allows them to be a part of a National Olympic Committee’s (NOC’s) team delegation, to support the team and to experience the Olympic environment from behind the scenes.
“It is an honour to be part of the COC’s Mission Team for Gangwon 2024. Sport has been a central part of my life since childhood, influencing not only my educational pursuits but also shaping my athletic and professional journey as an adult,” said Sommer, who recently retired from sport and is currently working with Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton. “I am excited to share experiences from my sporting background while collaborating with the mission staff to provide world-class services to the Canadian team. Any opportunity to represent Team Canada while wearing the maple leaf is very special, and I look forward to building upon the lessons learned at YOG as I advance in my career in sport.”
An additional program offered through the International Olympic Committee for Youth Olympic Games is the Athlete Role Models (ARMs) program, where Olympians and other elite athletes are selected to attend the YOG to mentor the young athletes. Two Canadians – Brendan Kelly (Freestyle Skiing) and two-time Olympian Tess Critchlow (Snowboard) – have been selected by their International Federations to be Athlete Role Models at Gangwon 2024. An offering of YOG’s Athlete Education Programme, the ARMs will engage and share their experiences with the young athletes in the Youth Olympic Village, at training and competition venues, and during a series of educational activities and workshops.
“When I was contacted about this opportunity, I was super stoked by the idea of being back in a competition space and to feel as though I’m giving back a little to snowboarding,” said Critchlow. “I’ve been thinking of ways to give back, and this was the perfect segue into that. It’ll be so rewarding to help the athletes get as much out of the experience as they can.”
* The following are athlete roster adjustments that occurred after the team nomination deadline:
- Alpine Skiing – Elsa Feliciello (Piedmont, Que.) replaces Sierra Coe (Canmore, Alta.) due to injury
- Freestyle Skiing – Ella Garrod (Vernon, B.C.) is added to the team due to an additional quota reallocated to Canada
GANGWON 2024 CANADIAN FACTS AND FIGURES
Athletes who identify as female or are competing in women’s events: 31
Athletes who identify as male or are competing in men’s events: 48
Athlete provincial and territorial breakdown (by hometown):|
Alberta – 26
British Columbia – 15
New Brunswick – 2
Newfoundland and Labrador – 2
Nova Scotia – 3
Ontario – 15
Quebec – 14
Yukon – 2
Team Canada athletes have won 26 medals over the past three editions of the Winter Youth Olympic Games – including three medals won in the mixed NOC team events. Unlike past YOG, there will be no mixed NOC events at Gangwon 2024 in order to put a greater focus on young elite athletes’ development pathways, and to more closely resemble the sport programme of the Olympic Winter Games. New events on the sport program include curling – mixed doubles, figure skating – team event, short track speed skating – 1500m and mixed relay, freestyle skiing – dual moguls, and cross country – mixed relay. To date, 20 Canadians who competed at previous Winter Youth Olympic Games have gone on to become Olympians.
HOW TO WATCH:
As the official Gangwon 2024 broadcaster in Canada, CBC/Radio-Canada will provide coverage of the Games on cbcsports.ca, radio-canada.ca/sports and the CBC Sports app.
The Olympic Channel will also have full coverage of Gangwon 2024, live-streamed on their free app.
NOTE TO MEDIA:
All Team Canada-related press resources regarding the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games will be published here: https://olympic.ca/press-resources. This page currently includes short athlete bios for media and information on Gangwon 2024, and will include daily recaps, flash quotes and more.
Team Canada press releases, including daily recaps, will be distributed through the COC Communications Team’s media distribution list during the Games. Those interested who wish to subscribe can do so at the bottom of this page.
Follow @TeamCanadaPR on X (Twitter) for news from the Canadian Olympic Committee.
