56 Olympic, Paralympic hopefuls to receive $10,000 each to help with training costs

Fifty six Canadian athletes hoping to qualify for the 2024 Paris and 2026 Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond have received $10,000 each to help in training costs, as announced on Friday by the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and sponsor Petro-Canada.

The selected athletes don't qualify for government funding and receive limited or no financial support from other programs. In total, the grand represents an investment of 5,6 million dollars.

The 2023 recipients of the Petro-Canada FACE Grant include judoka Kelly Deguchi of Lethbridge, Alta., who earned a silver medal in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and triathlete Jérémy Briand of Sainte-Julie, Que., who won the 2023 Americas Triathlon Cup stop in Edmonton in August.

Wheelchair tennis athlete Natalia Lanucha of Pincourt, Que., currently 55th in the world, and Reed Platenius of Tofino, B.C., who won the North American Junior surf title in March, are also on the list.

Over 3,500 Canadian athletes and coaches have received financial support in excess of $13.5 since the program was launched in 1988.

"The Petro-Canada FACE program has been a pillar of the Canadian sport system for more than three decades, and in that time has produced some of Canada's top athletes and coaches," said David Shoemaker, CEO and Secretary General of the Canadian Olympic Committee.

Thirteen of the recipients are Paralympic hopefuls in sports such as wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, powerlifting, Para badminton, Para alpine skiing and boccia.

"The FACE program has become such an integral part of the Canadian sport system over the years, providing so many athletes and coaches with more tools and opportunities to reach