- Danik Allard, Iulian Ciobanu, Lance
Cryderman, and Alison Levine
to compete for Canada
- Paris 2024 Paralympic Games
takes place August 28 to September
8
OTTAWA,
ON, July 18, 2024 /CNW/ - Four boccia players
have been nominated to compete for Canada at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the Canadian
Paralympic Committee and Boccia Canada announced on Thursday.
Paris 2024 Canadian
Paralympic Team – BOCCIA
- Danik Allard – Bois-des-Filion, QC – BC2
(classification)
- Iulian Ciobanu –
Montreal, QC – BC4
- Lance Cryderman –
Val Caron, ON – BC1
- Alison Levine –
Montreal, QC – BC4
All four athletes are Paralympians. Levine and Ciobanu will be
heading to their third Games, following Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. Allard made his debut at the
Tokyo Games three years ago, while
Cryderman is making a return to Paralympic competition for the
first time since Sydney 2000.
Levine was Canada's Closing
Ceremony flag bearer at the Santiago 2023 Parapan Am Games last November
following two gold medals, in the women's BC4 individuals and BC4
pairs alongside Ciobanu. Currently the No. 2-ranked player in the
world in her category, she most recently captured bronze at her
final tune-up before Paris, the
Povoa World Boccia Cup in Portugal.
"I'm very excited, happy, and proud," said Levine. "As always,
my way of being is to have fun and that's the most important. And
that's how my results will come – try not to think too much, tell
my brain to be quiet, and just enjoy. I'm also very happy to have
Danik and Lance joining us in Paris as well. There's a lot of attention on
Iulian and me so it's great to have doubled our team."
Alongside his gold medal with Levine, Ciobanu also notched a
bronze in the men's BC4 individual tournament at Santiago 2023. He is currently world No. 8 in
the men's BC4 classification.
"We've been working hard, day after day, week by week, month
after month, every competition to get where we are today," said
Ciobanu. "To say 'we qualified' is an understatement and does not
take into account the time, effort and work that goes behind the
results. Substantial work has been done on my side in the past
three years post Tokyo. In fact,
we not only qualified but exceeded the expectations and objectives
of the qualification process, which Alison and I are extremely
proud of."
"It's also important for me to go to these Paralympics because
it inspires other people to pursue the same objectives and for me
to be a role model for the younger generations," Ciobanu added.
"It's not only good for sport, but society as well – supporting
people of all abilities in their autonomy, skills, rights, access,
and values to sport and quality of life."
Bronze medallists at the 2022 world championships together,
Levine and Ciobanu secured their Paralympic qualification with
their Parapan Am gold-medal victory. They are the No. 3-ranked BC4
pair in the world and just this week secured a gold medal at the
Povoa World Boccia Cup.
Allard, ranked No. 12 in the men's BC2 classification, made the
round of 16 in the individual competition at the 2022 world
championships, an improvement on his Tokyo 2020 result.
"I'm very honoured to have qualified for a second Paralympic
Games," said Allard. "It's a great opportunity that I will take
full advantage of, and my goal is to demonstrate my evolution while
I'm there. Now that COVID is behind us, I can live the true
experience of the Games and one that I'm really excited for!"
A Sydney 2000 Paralympian in
boccia, Cryderman retired from competitive sport for more than 15
years before returning in 2017. He cracked the 2022 world
championships roster, where he made the round of 16 in men's BC1
action. Last year, he won the silver medal at the Parapan Am Games.
The men's BC1 world No. 11 will be joined on court by competition
partner Nick Dunham.
"It is a tremendous honour to have the privilege to
represent my country once again at the Paralympic Games and this is
not a privilege that I take lightly," said Cryderman. "I can
confidently say I would not be attending my second Paralympic Games
if it wasn't for the tremendous support of so many people,
especially my performance partner Nick
Dunham and practice partner Ryann
Dutchburn. Even though there are only a few short weeks
before we are in Paris, I have
been working hard with Nick and Ryann to compete at the
highest level possible and make my country proud."
Allard and Cryderman received their spots for Paris through a bipartite allocation from
World Boccia.
Boccia will take place at South Paris Arena. All four athletes
will compete in their respective individual tournaments, taking
place August 29 to September 2.
Ciobanu and Levine will also contend in the BC4 pairs event,
running September 3 to 5.
"Congratulations to Danik, Iulian, Lance, and Alison on your
nomination to the Paralympic Games," said Josh Vander Vies, co-chef
de mission, Paris 2024 Canadian
Paralympic Team. "As a boccia Paralympian myself, I know the
intricacies of the sport and how skilled and dedicated these four
athletes are. From Alison and Iulian's incredible success, Danik's
rise in the sport, and Lance's remarkable comeback, this team is
definitely one to watch in Paris.
I look forward to cheering each of them on at the Games."
"A very warm welcome to Danik, Iulian, Lance, and Alison to the
Paris 2024 Canadian Paralympic
Team!" said Karolina Wisniewska,
co-chef de mission, Paris 2024
Canadian Paralympic Team. "I have learned so much about boccia from
my co-chef Josh, and it is such an exciting sport, unique to the
Paralympic Games. This team features some of the very best in the
world, who have played so well this year, and I encourage all of
Canada to get behind these
athletes."
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games
will take place August 28 to September
8 in Paris, France.
Canada is expecting to send a team
of approximately 130 athletes.
Prior to being officially named to the Canadian Paralympic Team,
all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Paralympic
Committee. The current list of nominated athletes can be found
HERE. The approved final roster will be announced closer to the
start of the Games.
About the Canadian Paralympic
Committee: Paralympic.ca
About Boccia Canada: BocciaCanada.ca
SOURCE Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC)