Canada’s Santiago 2023 modern pentathlon team announced
TORONTO (September 27, 2023) – Pentathlon Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced Canada’s modern pentathlon team nominated to compete at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.
The Team Canada modern pentathlon team for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games is:
Athletes
Robert Bonomo (Toronto, Ont.)
Kelly Fitzsimmons (Calgary, Alta.)
Quinn Schulz (Calgary, Alta.)
Olivia Li (Calgary, Alta.)
Devan Wiebe (Vancouver, B.C.)
The Canadians qualified for Santiago 2023 based on their performances at the 2022 Pan American Championships which took place in Brazil last October.
Kelly Fitzsimmons is the sole member of the Santiago-bound team with previous Pan American Games experience. The eight-year national team veteran competed in the women’s individual, women’s relay and mixed relay events at Lima 2019. Fitzsimmons won Canadian modern pentathlon titles in 2016, 2018 and 2019. Her shooting coach, Trysten Routledge, will also represent Canada at the Santiago 2023 Pan Am Games as a shooting team member.
“It’s an exciting honour to be selected for the upcoming Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile,” said Fitzsimmons. “For me, Pan American competitions have a special place in my heart thanks to the incredible energy of the volunteers and athletes. I look forward to being on the ground in Santiago with our team and delivering a strong performance for Canada.”
Quinn Schulz will make his Pan Am Games debut at Santiago 2023. The 18-year-old captured bronze at the 2022 Pan American Junior Championships in Brazil. Schulz and his coach, Olympian and Pan Am Games bronze medallist Joshua Riker-Fox, received a 2023 Petro-Canada Fuelling Athlete and Coaching Excellence (FACE) grant.
“Having the opportunity to attend a major Games and represent Team Canada has been one of my dreams since I started this sport at ten years old, and having the opportunity now to go and compete in Santiago at the Pan Am Games is surely a dream come true,” said Schulz. “I can’t wait to compete and put down a performance I know I’ll be proud of.”
Santiago 2023 provides modern pentathlon athletes the opportunity to qualify directly for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Five quota spots are available in each event, with a maximum of one per NOC per gender. The gold medallist, as well as the two highest-ranked athletes from the NORCECA region (North America, Central America, Caribbean) and the two highest-ranked athletes from South America will all earn themselves a ticket to Paris 2024. Any athletes who are already qualified are not eligible to earn more spots.
Modern pentathlon joined the Pan American Games program in 1951. Since then, Canada has won a total of four medals – two silver and two bronze.
Modern pentathlon will take place October 21-23 (Days 1 to 3) and October 25-27 (Days 5 to 7) at the Escuela Militar in Las Condes.
“I am thrilled to welcome the modern pentathlon team to the Pan Am Games!,” said Christine Girard, Team Canada’s Santiago 2023 Chef de Mission. “I’m always amazed by our multi-talented athletes. In the modern pentathlon, you swim, fence, ride, shoot, and run – which makes multi-tasking look like a walk in the park! Let’s show the world what it means to be a true all-around champion.”
Team Canada’s modern pentathlon team coaches for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games are:
Coaches
Joshua Riker-Fox (Delacour, Alta.) – Coach
Vitali Budovskiy (Lugansk, Ukraine) – Coach
Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Organisations.
The latest Team Canada Santiago 2023 roster can be found here.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Aline Lafrenière, Communications Contact
Pentathlon Canada
C: 819-664-1564
E: alinemlafreniere@gmail.com
Tara MacBournie, Team Canada Santiago 2023 Sport Communications Lead
Canadian Olympic Committee
C: 647-522-8328
E: tmacbournie@olympic.ca