OTTAWA – Swimming Canada announced its 19-swimmer roster today that will get nominated to the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) for 2011 Para Pan-American Games taking place in Guadalajara Mexico November 12-20th inclusively.

For Craig McCord, National Coach for Para-swimming with Swimming Canada, the Para Pan-American Games swim team, will primarily feature Rio 2016 hopefuls.

“We’ll be introducing our next wave of Paralympic hopefuls as part this team,” said McCord.  “The goal is to provide these young athletes with major multi-sport games experience.”

As the London 2012 bound hopefuls competed last week at the 2011 Para Pan-pacific championships in Edmonton, this new up and coming group is currently in the pool getting ready to compete at “this important stepping stone towards the Paralympics”.

“This kind of opportunity for our up and comers is vital to getting them ready and excited about the next five years leading into the Rio games.  They will get to experience high level competition within a multisport, multi venue and games village atmosphere,” added McCord.

With the focus of this team being on Rio 2016, McCord says that he doesn’t exclude the possibility of athletes breaking through to the London 2012 games.

“Our London team will be selected next March at the Olympic and Paralympic trials (in Montreal) and we’re not excluding the possibility of having a Para Pan-Am team member get selected for these upcoming games.”

Canadian Swim Team roster for 2011 Para Pan-American Games is:

Men's Team
(Name, Classification, Club, Hometown, Coach)

Dalton BOON, S14/14/14, UBCD, Tswassen BC, Amy Canuel
Andrew COOKE, S5/5/5, KISU, Pentiction, BC, Jane Bentley
Christain DANIEL, S6/6/6, CCSC, Cochrane AB, Randi Willisko
Malcolm FAIRWEATHER, S14/14/14, VVAC, Toronto ON, Corrine Bainton
Jean-Sebastian LAPOINTE, S7/7/7, TORP, Repentigny QC, Catherine Marcotte
Nick LAPOINTE, S5/5/5, ISLAND, Victoria BC, Breah Dunn
Zack MCALLISTER, S9/9/9, LASC, Lethbridge AB, Mike Pinder Micah MYKITUIK, S10/9/10, TSC, Toronto ON, Bob Hayes
Chris SARGENT, S8/8/8, KYPAC, Kingston ON, Vicki Keith
Thomas SWINKELS, S10/9/10, SWAT, Sackville, NS, Kevin Ross
Nik TOLGYESI, S6/6/6, KYPAC, Kingston ON, Vicki Keith
Nicoholas-Guy TURBIDES, S13/13/13, CSQ, Quebec City QC, Claude Lamy

Women's Team
(Name, Classification, Club, Hometown, Coach)

Alicia DENOON, S10/9/10, GMAC, Guelph, Ontaio, Hans Vitolla
Danielle KISSER, S6/6/6, DELTA, Delta BC, Kurt Murphy
Jenna LAMBERT, S6/6/6, KYPAC, Kingston ON, Vicki Keith
Meagan MICHIE, S14/14/14, GO, Ottawa ON, Jason Allen
Catherine MITCHELL, s12/12/12, MANTA, Winnipeg, MB, Norm Carriere
Kennedy PASAY, S9/9/9, BEAU, Edmonton AB, Matt Bowkowy
Hannah SMITH, SB9, CASC, Calgary AB, Wendy Johnson

More information on the Para Pan-American Games: http://parapan.guadalajara2011.org.mx/en