Alexandra Orlando
Member & PASO Representative
Athletes’ Commission
Alexandra Orlando is a highly decorated world-class athlete. In her 17 years dedicated to Rhythmic Gymnastics, she has been Novice, Junior, and 5 time Senior Canadian National Champion. During this time she was Canada’s dominant rhythmic gymnast, while earning a reputation as one of the few non-Europeans competing at the sports highest level.
In 2007 she placed an outstanding 9th place at the 2007 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships qualifying a spot for Canada in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. She was the only athlete from all of the America’s to achieve an Olympic berth, and the first Canadian to make a final at a World Championships in 22 years.
Just a few months earlier, she won 3 Gold Medals at the 2007 Pan American Games in Brazil, and was chosen as Canada’s flag bearer for the Closing Ceremonies. Alexandra was given the great honour of also carrying Canada’s flag at the Closing Ceremonies of the 2006 Commonwealth Games one year earlier where she won 6 gold medals and broke a world record for her sport. Alexandra was chosen as the “2006 Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year” at the Commonwealth Sports Awards held in London, England.
Hundreds of young athletes across Canada look up to Alexandra – she has been an excellent role model and ambassador for sport. Through coaching, speaking engagements, technical skills consultations, self esteem and motivational workshops, she has helped and inspired many young athletes across a variety of sports.
With over ten years of media training as an elite athlete, Alexandra has made numerous appearances as a keynote speaker and MC for large corporate events. She was also a main spokesperson for the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games Bid, consistently speaking with the media gaining invaluable on-camera experience. Alexandra has been an analyst for the 2011 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships and will be the London 2012 Olympic analyst for CTV this coming summer.
As an active athlete advocate, Alexandra sits on the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Athlete Commission, highly involved with the Women in Sport and Youth and Education Committees. She is also a mentor for the Canadian Youth Olympic Team that will be competing at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.
Alexandra is an active Right to Play and KidSport Athlete Ambassador, promoting healthier, active living for all.
In 2006, Alexandra co-authored a book about her life and sport titled, “Alexandra Orlando in Pursuit of Victory.” From this experience, she has gone on to become a freelance senior writer for CBC and a number of non-profit organizations including the Strength Within Group, empowering young women to make a difference. She has also published her first motivational book “Breaking Through My Limits: An Olympian Uncovered” which is available in book stores across North America.
She is former Vice President of AthletesCAN, the Association of National Team Athletes and was also formerly the athlete representative on the Gymnastics Canada Board of Directors and continues to stay heavily involved as an international coach and judge. Alexandra also sat on the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games Bid Board of Directors and was instrumental in securing the Games to her hometown. Most recently, Alexandra was named President of the PASO Athlete Commission.
Retiring from competitive sport in 2009, Alexandra became a program coordinator at the Institute at Havergal College and subsequently designed and implemented the Pan/Parapan Am Bid Youth Program. She is currently on the Marketing and Revenue team at the Toronto 2015 Organizing Committee, where she continues to thrive in the Canadian sporting community.
Alexandra has the ability to demonstrate, inspire, and teach. Her energy and enthusiasm are infectious, and her love of and support for the athletes movement across Canada and the World are strong and unwavering. It has been her passion and her dream since she was a young child to play this role, and she performs it so well.