June 2/16 8:51 am - Karol-Ann Canuel Awarded HBC Bursary

Posted by Editoress on 06/2/16
 

On Wednesday, the HBC Foundation and the Canadian Olympic Foundation (COF) announced an exciting new program that is making a marked difference in the lives of Canadian high-performance athletes. Road pro Karol-Ann Canuel was the only cyclist included in the program.

Karol-Ann Canuel at the 2015 Road Worlds in Richmond, VA

The HBC Athlete Bursary Program will award 50 Canadian athletes $10,000 annually. Beginning in 2016, it's a $2.5 million investment that provides bursary recipients with sustainable funding over the next five years. Athletes can invest the dollars toward activities that will benefit their development such as international competition, sport science support, daily training programs, new equipment, coaching and nutrition. Athletes can also use the bursary to offset personal expenses, like rent and transportation, that can be challenging as full-time training rarely leaves room for full-time employment.

Over 500 athletes applied to be part of the program. The 50 selected hail from across the country, and are a mix of Olympic hopefuls and veterans, representing 31 sports. There are 22 men and 28 women that are part of the program.

"The HBC Athlete Bursary Program is an incredible initiative and provides substantial support to the selected athletes," says Leanne Nicolle, Executive Director, Canadian Olympic Foundation. "The group is an exciting mix of Olympic medalists and veterans, and up and coming talent. We are so excited to see the things that they can accomplish with the help of these funds."

See the full list of athletes Here.

Courtesy COC