Honouring Ontario's Athletes
March 27, 2009 9:19 AM
McGuinty Government Celebrates Athletes One Year From Vancouver 2010
Ontario's top amateur athletes were honoured at the 2008 Ontario Sport Awards last night in Toronto.
Of the 55 athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and sponsors that were recognized for sport excellence, four athletes received top honours:
- Eric Lamaze, Male Athlete of the Year, Equestrian
- Karen Cockburn, Female Athlete of the Year, Gymnastics
- Jason Dunkerley, Male Athlete with a Disability of the Year, Para-Athletics
- Chelsey Gotell, Female Athlete with a Disability of the Year, Swimming
These athletes contributed to the medal count at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, where Ontario brought home 11 of the 18 medals captured by Canada at the Summer Olympics, and 10 of the 50 medals won by Canadians at the Summer Paralympics.
Quick Facts
- Ontario has committed $2.5 million to Own the Podium, a national program assigned to help Canada's winter athletes reach the podium at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.
- Ontario has invested $701,300 in the Road to Excellence program that helped Canada's summer athletes finish in the top 16 in the medal standings at the 2008 Olympic Summer Games in Beijing.
- The Ontario Sport Awards have been honouring outstanding achievement in Ontario amateur sport since 1965 and is the highest honour the province provides to recognize excellence in sport.
Learn More
- Think you have what it takes to be a recipient of the province's Ontario Sport Awards? Find out more!
- Recipients Of The 2008 Ontario Sport Awards
Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport
ontario.ca/health-promotion