Four skateboarders to make their Pan American Games debut for Team Canada at Santiago 2023

TORONTO (August 30, 2023) – Canada Skateboard and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced Canada’s skateboarding team nominated to compete at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.

The Team Canada skateboarding team for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games is:

Athletes
Ryan Decenzo (Delta, B.C.)
Fay De Fazio Ebert (Toronto, Ont.)
Adam Hopkins (Thunder Bay, Ont.)
Samantha Secours (St-Hubert, Que.)

The four athletes qualified for Team Canada based on their Olympic World Skateboarding Ranking. Team Canada qualified the maximum quota of four athletes, two per gender, for Santiago 2023. This will be the first time the sport appears on the Pan American Games program, two years after making its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020. All four Santiago-bound athletes are major-Games rookies.

De Fazio Ebert, who will be one month short of fourteen years old during Santiago 2023, is a young talent on the rise of the global park skateboarding scene. After narrowly missing Tokyo 2020 qualification, she now has her sights set on making her Olympic debut at Paris 2024. The Toronto teenager, currently ranked 20th in the Park Olympic World Skateboarding Ranking, is expected to be the youngest athlete named to Team Canada for Santiago 2023.

“I’m super stoked to skate in Chile. It will be my first time skating for Team Canada, definitely not my last. Let’s go!” said De Fazio Ebert.

Decenzo, currently ranked 11th in the Street Olympic World Skateboarding Rankings, looks forward to competing at his first major Games. An X Games gold medallist, he has been a mainstay in international skateboarding for over a decade. After missing qualification for Tokyo 2020, he is focused on continuing to gain ranking points for Paris 2024 qualification. He is one of Canada’s most prominent street skateboarders, and will apply his experience of high-pressure, high-stakes competitions at Santiago 2023 with Team Canada.

“I’m super grateful and excited to be skating and representing Canada in the Pan American Games!” said Decenzo.

“Joining Ryan, Sam and Fay to represent Team Canada at the Pan American Games in Chile is a tremendous honour. Excited for my first visit to Chile and the revved up session with skaters from across the Americas,” added Hopkins. 

Sean Hayes (Delta, B.C.) has been selected as coach and Team Leader for Team Canada’s Santiago 2023 skateboarding team.

“The Pan American Games are an incredible opportunity to show how great Canadian skateboarding is. The members of this team are tracking toward competing at Paris 2024 and this is the best dress rehearsal we could ask for. Everyone is excited to be a part of Team Canada and showcase skateboarding,” said Adam Higgins, high-performance director of Canada Skateboard.

Skateboarding will take place October 21 and 22 (Day 1 and 2) at the Estadio Nacional.

“Rolling in with style and flair, Team Canada’s skateboarders are set to leave their mark as they introduce this thrilling sport to the Pan Am stage,” said Christine Girard, Team Canada’s Santiago 2023 Chef de Mission. “With tricks, flips and a passion for the board, these athletes are ready to carve their way to success in their Pan Am Games debut. What an honour for me to be able to have a front row seat.”

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:

Emanuele Barbier, Communications Coordinator
Canada Skateboard
C: 438-836-5910
E: emanuele@canadaskateboard.ca

Tara MacBournie, Team Canada Santiago 2023 Sport Communications Lead
Canadian Olympic Committee
C: 647-522-8328
E: tmacbournie@olympic.ca