Athlete funding campaign goes back to the future

It’s no secret the Olympic journey is a long one. It’s demanding in ways only the best in the world can understand – and it lasts for generations.

But, if the next generation of Canada’s athletes will have Olympic success, it’s the support they earn today that is critical to arriving at the podium.

That’s why today, the Canadian Olympic Foundation and Gold Medal Plates launched a new fundraising campaign that will raise $4 million over the next four years for emerging podium athletes and provide donors with an exciting Olympic Games experience.

Iconic Canadian musicians Jim Cuddy, Ed Robertson and Barney Bentall get it and wear the Maple Leaf on their sleeve as founding ambassadors of the program. They join three-time Olympic Champion Marnie McBean and two-time Olympic medallist Simon Whitfield as ambassadors amplifying how future champions are funded.

“I am proud to be involved and believe in the work that the Canadian Olympic Foundation and Gold Medal Plates are doing to help emerging athletes connect to their dreams of becoming Olympians and ultimately achieving a career of podium success,” McBean. “Specialized coaching and proper training at early stages will help young, talented athletes develop an incredible foundation; physically, technically and mentally, so that they can compete at a world-class level for years to come.”

Marnie McBean. Photo: Winston Chow

Marnie McBean. Photo: Winston Chow