September 25/23 12:37 pm - Canadian Pan Am & Parapan Team Announced for Games

Posted by Editoress on 09/25/23
 

Cycling Canada, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee have announced Team Canada for the 2023 Pan American Games, which will take place in Santiago, Chile. The Pan Am Games will take place from October 20th to November 5th, and the Parapan American Games on November 17-26. The Pan Am team will consist of 26 athletes (13 women and 13 men), and Parapan team will have 8 athletes (3 women and 5 men).

"The Pan and Parapan Am Games are an incredible opportunity for the athletes to gain experience," said Dan Proulx, Canadian National Cycling Team Head Coach. "For many, it will be their first time competing in a Games environment - staying in an athlete village and performing in a new setting where the demands and pressures are slightly different compared to other events. We hope to win medals but more importantly, this is a learning opportunity - an experience that can set up Canadian athletes for success at future Games. We're keen to see what this group of riders can do in Santiago."

Chris Ernst


Carson Mattern


Ngaire Barraclough


Ruby West


Sarah Orban


Nick Wammes


Keely Shaw


Mel Pemble

Jenn Jackson

Carter Woods

Gunnar Holmgren

The Team Canada cycling team for the Santiago 2023 Pan and Parapan American Games is:

BMX Racing
Curtis Krey - Etobicoke, ON
Teigen Pascual - Squamish, BC
Molly Simpson - Red Deer, AB
Ryan Tougas - Pitt Meadows, BC

Mountain Bike
Gunnar Holmgren - Orillia, ON
Jenn Jackson - Barrie, ON
Sandra Walter - Coquitlam, BC
Carter Woods - Cumberland, BC

Para-Road
Tarek Dahab (C2) - Beloeil, QC
Nathan Clement (T1) - West Vancouver, BC
Shelley Gautier (T1) - Niagara Falls, ON
Alexandre Hayward (C3) - Quispamsis, NB
Charles Moreau (H3) - Victoriaville, QC
Mel Pemble (C3) - Victoria, BC
Mike Sametz (C3) - Calgary, AB
Keely Shaw (C4) - Midale, SK

Para-Track
Tarek Dahab (C2) - Beloeil, QC
Alexandre Hayward (C3) - Quispamsis, NB
Mel Pemble (C3) - Victoria, BC
Mike Sametz (C3) - Calgary, AB
Keely Shaw (C4) - Midale, SK

Road
Ngaire Barraclough (Individual Time Trial, Road Race) - Edmonton, AB
Devaney Collier (Road Race) - Edmonton, AB
Chris Ernst (Individual Time Trial, Road Race) - Kitchener, ON
Carson Mattern (Road Race) - Ancaster, ON
Adèle Normand (Road Race) - Alma, QC
Campbell Parrish (Individual Time Trial, Road Race) - Vancouver, BC
Riley Pickrell (Road Race) - Victoria, BC
Ruby West (Individual Time Trial, Road Race) - Dundas, ON

Track Endurance
Erin Attwell (Team Pursuit, Travelling Alternate: Madison) - Victoria, BC
Ngaire Barraclough (Madison, Team Pursuit, Travelling Alternate: Omnium) - Edmonton, AB
Devaney Collier (Madison, Omnium, Team Pursuit) - Edmonton, AB
Chris Ernst (Madison, Team Pursuit) - Kitchener, ON
Michael Foley (Madison, Omnium, Team Pursuit) - Milton, ON
Fiona Majendie (Team Pursuit) - Vancouver, BC
Carson Mattern (Team Pursuit, Travelling Alternate: Madison, Omnium) - Ancaster, ON
Campbell Parrish (Team Pursuit) - Vancouver, BC
Sean Richardson (Team Pursuit) - Vancouver, BC
Ruby West (Team Pursuit) - Dundas, ON
Daniel Fraser-Maraun (Non-Travelling Alternate: Team Pursuit) - Anmore, BC

Track Sprint
Jackie Boyle (Individual Sprint, Team Sprint) - Toronto, ON
James Hedgcock (Keirin, Team Sprint) - Ancaster, ON
Sarah Orban (Keirin, Individual Sprint, Team Sprint) - Calgary, AB
Tyler Rorke (Individual Sprint, Team Sprint) - Baden, ON
Emy Savard (Team Sprint) - Saguenay, QC
Nick Wammes (Individual Sprint, Team Sprint) - Bothwell, ON

The para-cycling squad came home last month's world championships with 10 medals, including two world titles from Paralympians Clement in the men's T1 road time trial and Pemble in the women's C3 track Omnium (not a Parapan Am event).

"I'm thrilled to represent Canada at the Parapan Am Games and have the opportunity to build on the results of the 2023 World Championships," said Clement. "Having experience racing at the 2015 Parapan Am Games in Toronto for swimming, I'm ecstatic to attend another multi-sport Games. To get the chance to race in front of loud and passionate crowds only fuels the fire to take in the learning and growth needed as the 2024 season kicks off."

Attwell and Wammes are the sole athletes on this team with Pan American Games experience. Wammes, along with Foley, bring Olympic experience, having represented Canada at Tokyo 2020. Foley was part of the men's Team Pursuit which finished fifth at Tokyo 2020 - Canada's best Olympic result in the event since 1932.

Hedgcock and Mattern are two of the rookies who will look to lean on the veterans on the team and gain valuable major Games experience of their own. After finishing just shy of the podium in two events at the Milton 2023 Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup, Hedgcock will be on a mission to medal in the men's Keirin and Team Sprint with teammates Rorke and Wammes. Mattern is no stranger to international podiums, having won two gold medals (in the Omnium and Individual Pursuit) at the 2022 UCI Junior Track World Championships.

Mattern has been inspired by past Pan American Games, citing Toronto 2015 as instrumental in sparking his interest in cycling. The track cycling events took place at the velodrome in Milton - which would later become the Mattamy National Cycling Centre - which is just a short drive from Mattern's hometown of Ancaster. Eight years later, he is excited to have the opportunity to race for Team Canada at the Pan Am Games.

"The Pan Am Games came to Toronto right around the time I started cycling and were a big part of what initially got me excited about the sport," said Mattern. "Later, in 2019, Canadian riders that I knew and looked up to went and won medals at those Pan Am Games, which was very motivating for me and my future. Now, it's a little surreal to think it's come full circle and I get to have this experience for myself. I intend to enjoy the whole process from start to finish!"

In BMX, hopes are high for 20-year-old Simpson, who currently sits sixth in the UCI BMX Women Elite Ranking and is the youngest athlete in the top-10. She won her first career World Cup medal in October 2021 and then took bronze in the U23 division at last year's world championships.

"It's an honour to be selected for the 2023 Pan American Games, I couldn't be more excited to represent Canada," said Simpson. "This will be my first Games, so I am really looking forward to the experience and the competition. I'm sure the atmosphere will be electric!"

On the road, Pickrell is riding high after winning Stage 2 of the Tour de l'Avenir, considered the Tour de France for U23 athletes.

Mountain bike also promises excitement with Woods working his way through a terrific UCI World Cup season in the U23 division. He has collected six medals from the series so far, including gold in both the men's U23 cross-country Olympic and cross-country short track categories from the Val di Sole Trentino World Cup. He'll be fighting for redemption after suffering a mechanical failure at the start line of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, which forced him to fight through a competitive field of more than 85 entries for a remarkable 11th-place finish in the men's U23 cross-country Olympic race.

"I'm thrilled to welcome such a big, passionate and energetic team to the Pan Am Games. I can't wait to witness your dedication in the velodrome, and on and off the road," said Christine Girard, Santiago 2023 Pam Am Chef de Mission. "Together, let's ride towards victory and create a wave of inspiration for all to witness!"

"What an incredible group of athletes," said Karolina Wisniewska, Santiago 2023 Parapan Am Co-Chef de Mission. "All eight para-cycling racers are coming off a very successful summer of competition and whether they have been to multiple Paralympic Games or this is their first multi-sport Games, are now heading into Santiago as top contenders to watch. Congratulations to each athlete on being selected to represent your country; it will be a delight to cheer you on and know that the entire Canadian contingent will be behind you in Santiago."

The upcoming competition is an important opportunity to earn valuable qualification points for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in BMX racing and track cycling.