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Release: Sochi Olympic Medallists Rewarded For Excellence

June 4, 2014

OLYMPIANS AND COACHES RECEIVE $1.8 MILLION FOR SOCHI MEDAL PERFORMANCES
86 athletes and 56 coaches receive $1,840,000 in rewards through the Athlete Excellence Fund and Coach Reward Program

GATINEAU – Today, the Canadian Olympic Committee, in partnership with RBC and The Globe and Mail, presented more than $1.8 million in cheques to Sochi Olympians and their coaches for their medal performances in Sochi.  As part of the Celebration of Excellence events presented by RBC, the cheques were presented during a breakfast at the Hilton Lac-Leamy in Gatineau.

“This support is an added reward after all the hard work and gruelling hours spent training on the ice,” said Caroline Ouellette, four-time Olympian, four-time Olympic gold medallist. “Thank you to my coach for all of their support and to RBC for this generous gift, it means the world to me.”

The Canadian Olympic Committee’s Athlete Excellence Fund presented by RBC is an athlete support and reward program that provides Canadian athletes with performance awards of $20,000, $15,000 and $10,000 for winning Olympic gold, silver or bronze medals respectively. The performance rewards are the same for each athlete regardless of whether it is an individual or team sport. It also provides grants of $5,000 during non-Olympic years.

The Canadian Olympic Committee introduced the Coach Reward Program presented by The Globe and Mail prior to the London 2012 Olympic Games. The aim of the program is to recognize excellence in coaching and the critical impact it has on performance through financial awards made to coaches of Canadian Olympic medallists.

“We do our jobs every day because we love sport and competition,” said Chris Le Bihan, bobsleigh coach. “Thank you to The Globe and Mail for generously recognizing the coaches who are so vital to our athlete’s success and the realization of their Olympic dreams.”

The Sochi 2014 Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Teams will be making public appearances starting today at Ottawa-area schools and hospitals as well as being honoured in the House of Commons. The Heroes Tour, consisting of school and hospital visits, will be making its way through Calgary, Banff, Red Deer and Edmonton on June 5th; and the post-Sochi Parade of Champions and the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame Gala, Induction Ceremony will  take place in the City of Calgary on June 6th.

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About the Canadian Olympic Committee:
The Canadian Olympic Committee leads the achievement of the Canadian Olympic Team’s podium success and advances Olympic values in Canada. Independent and predominantly privately funded, the Canadian Olympic Committee delivers resources that Canada’s elite athletes need to perform at their best and give their everything every day. The backbone of Canada’s Olympic movement, the Canadian Olympic Committee works with National Sport Federations to prepare the Team for the Olympic, Youth Olympic and Pan American Games. By sharing our athletes’ stories, we inspire all Canadians through the power of sport: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Canadian Olympic Committee Media Office:
Jane Almeida, Senior Manager, Media Relations
Tel: 416-324-4120 / Cell: 416-540-1788
Email: jalmeida@olympic.ca

Luc Beaudin, Coordinator, Communications and Media Relations
Cell: 514-206-6720
Email: lbeaudin@olympic.ca

Backgrounder

RBC & THE GLOBE AND MAIL OLYMPIANS AND COACHES RECEIVING MEDAL REWARD CHEQUES

 COACHES RECEIVING MEDAL REWARD CHEQUES Olympians receiving cheques:

First Last Hometown Sport
Heather Moyse Summerside, PE Bobsleigh
Kaillie Humphries Calgary, AB Bobsleigh
Dawn McEwen Winnipeg, MB Curling
Jennifer Jones Winnipeg, MB Curling
Jill Officer Winnipeg, MB Curling
Kaitlyn Lawes Winnipeg, MB Curling
Kirsten Wall Milton, ON Curling
Brad Jacobs Sault Ste. Marie, ON Curling
Caleb Flaxey Caledon, ON Curling
E.J. Harnden Sault Ste. Marie, ON Curling
Ryan Fry Sault Ste. Marie, ON Curling
Ryan Harnden Sault Ste. Marie, ON Curling
Patrick Chan Toronto, ON Figure Skating
Tessa Virtue London, ON Figure Skating
Scott Moir Ilderton, ON Figure Skating
Kevin Reynolds Coquitlam, BC Figure Skating
Kaetlyn Osmond Sherwood Park, AB; Marystown, NL Figure Skating
Kirsten Moore-Towers St. Catharines, ON Figure Skating
Dylan Moscovitch Toronto, ON Figure Skating
Meagan Duhamel Lively, ON Figure Skating
Eric Radford Balmertown, ON Figure Skating
Shannon Szabados Edmonton, AB Hockey
Charline Labonté Boisbriand, QC Hockey
Jocelyne Larocque Ste. Anne, MB Hockey
Catherine Ward Montreal, QC Hockey
Caroline Ouellette Montreal, QC Hockey
Jayna Hefford Kingston, ON Hockey
Marie-Philip Poulin Beauceville, QC Hockey
Rebecca Johnston Sudbury, ON Hockey
Hayley Wickenheiser Shaunavon, SK Hockey
Natalie Spooner Scarborough, ON Hockey
Meaghan Mikkelson-Reid St. Albert, AB Hockey
Meghan Agosta-Marciano Ruthven, ON Hockey
Gillian Apps Unionville, ON Hockey
Jennifer Wakefield Pickering, ON Hockey
Lauriane Rougeau Beaconsfield, QC Hockey
Laura Fortino Hamilton, ON Hockey
Brianne Jenner Oakville, ON Hockey
Tara Watchorn Newcastle, ON Hockey
Mélodie Daoust Valleyfield, QC Hockey
Haley Irwin Thunder Bay, ON Hockey
Geneviève Lacasse Kingston, ON Hockey
Jamie Benn Victoria, BC Hockey
Patrice Bergeron Sillery, QC Hockey
Jay Bouwmeester Edmonton, AB Hockey
Jeff Carter London, ON Hockey
Sidney Crosby Cole Harbour, NS Hockey
Drew Doughty London, ON Hockey
Matt Duchene Haliburton, ON Hockey
Ryan Getzlaf Regina, SK Hockey
Dan Hamhuis Smithers, BC Hockey
Duncan Keith Penticton, BC Hockey
Chris Kunitz Regina, SK Hockey
Roberto Luongo Montreal, QC Hockey
Patrick Marleau Aneroid, SK Hockey
Rick Nash Brampton, ON Hockey
Corey Perry Peterborough, ON Hockey
Alex Pietrangelo King City, ON Hockey
Carey Price Anahim Lake, BC Hockey
Patrick Sharp Thunder Bay, ON Hockey
Mike Smith Kingston, ON Hockey
Martin St-Louis Laval, QC Hockey
PK Subban Toronto, ON Hockey
John Tavares Oakville, ON Hockey
Jonathan Toews Winnipeg, MB Hockey
Marc-Édouard Vlasic Montreal, QC Hockey
Shea Weber Sicamous, BC Hockey
Charles Hamelin Sainte-Julie, QC Speed Skating
Denny Morrison Cumberland, ON Speed Skating
Marie-Ève Drolet Chicoutimi, QC Speed Skating
Jessica Hewitt Kamloops, BC Speed Skating
Valérie Maltais Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, QC Speed Skating
Marianne St-Gelais Saint-Félicien, QC Speed Skating
Charle Cournoyer Boucherville, QC Speed Skating
Jan Hudec Calgary, AB Alpine Skiing
Justine Dufour-Lapointe Montreal, QC Freestyle Skiing
Alex Bilodeau Rosemère, QC Freestyle Skiing
Dara Howell Huntsville, ON Freestyle Skiing
Marielle Thompson Whistler, BC Freestyle Skiing
Chloé Dufour-Lapointe Montreal, QC Freestyle Skiing
Mikaël Kingsbury Deux-Montagnes, QC Freestyle Skiing
Mike Riddle Sherwood Park, AB Freestyle Skiing
Kelsey Serwa Kelowna, BC Freestyle Skiing
Kim Lamarre Quebec City, QC Freestyle Skiing
Dominique Maltais Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, QC Snowboard
Mark McMorris Regina, SK Snowboard

Olympic coaches receiving cheques:

First Last Hometown Sport
John McBride Pasadena, CA Alpine Skiing
Adam Burwell Regina, SK Snowboard – Slopestyle
Bart Schouten Calgary, AB Long Track Speed Skating
Ben Black Aspen, CO Alpine Skiing
Chris Le Bihan Kelowna, BC Bobsleigh
Claude Julien Orleans, ON Men’s Hockey
Danielle Goyette Saint-Nazaire, QC Women’s Hockey
Derrick Campbell Cambridge, ON Short Track Speed Skating
Eric Archer Vail, CO Ski Cross
Frédéric Blackburn Chicoutimi, QC Short Track Speed Skating
Graham Richardson Bourne, UK Bobsleigh
Gregor Jelonek Montreal, QC Long Track Speed Skating
Janet Arnott Winnipeg, MB Women’s Curling
Jean-François Cusson Sainte-Agathe, QC Freestyle Skiing – Slopestyle
Joanne McLeod Vancouver, BC Figure Skating – Team
Johnny Johns Detroit, MI Figure Skating – Team & Ice Dance
Jonathon Cavar Calgary, AB Short Track Speed Skating
Jean-Paul Richard Mascouche, QC Freestyle Skiing – Moguls
Kathy Johnson Kansas City, MO Figure Skating – Team & Men’s Singles
Ken Hitchcock Edmonton, AB Men’s Hockey
Kevin Dineen Toronto, ON Women’s Hockey
Kris Wirtz Waterloo, ON Figure Skating – Team
Laurent Daignault Montreal, QC Short Track Speed Skating
Lindy Ruff Warburg, AB Men’s Hockey
Lisa Haley Westville, NS Women’s Hockey
Marc McDonnell Squamish, BC Freestyle Skiing – Halfpipe
Marc-Andre Moreau Chambly, QC Freestyle Skiing – Moguls
Marcel Mathieu Orcières, FRA Snowboard Cross
Mark Wild Calgary, AB Long Track Speed Skating
Martin Rufener Canmore, AB Alpine Skiing
Matt Cockell Winnipeg, MB Women’s Hockey
Michel Hamelin Val-Morin, QC Freestyle Skiing – Moguls
Mike Babcock Saskatoon, SK Men’s Hockey
Mike Crowe Butte, MT Long Track Speed Skating
Ralph Krueger Winnipeg, MB Men’s Hockey
Ravi Walia Edmonton, AB Figure Skating – Team
Rewk Patten Crested Butte, CO Alpine Skiing
Richard Gauthier Montreal, QC Figure Skating – Team
Rob Kober Penticton, BC Freestyle Skiing – Moguls
Serge Dugas Magog, QC Alpine Skiing
Stefan Guay Mont-Tremblant, QC Alpine Skiing
Stephan Bosch Penzberg, GER Bobsleigh
Steve Omischl North Bay, ON Freestyle Skiing – Moguls
Toben Sutherland Orillia, ON Freestyle Skiing – Slopestyle
Todd McClements Calgary, AB Long Track Speed Skating
Tom Coulterman Sault Ste. Marie, ON Men’s Curling
Tom De La Hunty Bromley, Great Britain Bobsleigh
Trennon Paynter Squamish, BC Freestyle Skiing – Halfpipe
Willy Raine Whistler, BC Ski Cross
Xiuli Wang Calgary, AB Long Track Speed Skating

 

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