Team Canada will compete in Austria March 14 - 25, 2017

TORONTO, May 3, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Special Olympics Canada is pleased to officially announce Team Canada for the upcoming 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games, taking place in Austria from March 14 to 25, 2017.

Special Olympics Team Canada will consist of 110 athletes, 35 mission staff and coaches, 2 team managers and 1 Chef de Mission, and will be competing in 6 different sports in Austria. Team Canada athletes were selected based on their performance at the recent Special Olympics Canada 2016 Winter Games in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador. Over 650 Special Olympics athletes from across Canada competed at those Games, vying for a spot on Special Olympics Team.

"What an adventure Special Olympics Team Canada is about to embark on!" said Chef de Mission for the 2017 Special Olympics Team Canada, Marian Coulson. "The athletes demonstrated incredible determination and passion for their sport in Corner Brook and I am excited to see their journey to Austria unfold over the next several months. It is an honour to be Chef de Mission for this team and I know they will show the world the strength, power and comradery Canadians are known for when they compete in Austria in 2017!"

The 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games are the second time a Special Olympics World Games has occurred in Austria, with the first being in 1993. The 2017 Games will be hosted in three main locations throughout Austria; Graz (the second largest city in Austria), Schladming (Alpine Skiing World Championships in 1982 and 2013) and Ramsau (Nordic Skiing World Championships in 1999). The 2017 Games will host over 3,000 athletes and 1,100 coaches from 110 countries and 3,000 volunteers will help ensure the Games are a success. Athletes from across the globe will compete in 9 sport disciplines.

"Special Olympics Canada is delighted to officially announce the Team Canada roster heading to the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games next year," noted Sharon Bollenbach, CEO, Special Olympics Canada. "These Games will be another opportunity to show the world the capabilities and sportsmanship of our athletes, and I am excited to cheer them on as they strive for personal bests on the world stage."

Team Canada will start on the road to Austria next week with their first official training camp for the Games. Over the next 10 months, Special Olympics Team Canada athletes will be hard at work, training for the experience of a lifetime.

To view the full Team Canada roster, please click here. Congratulations to all members of Team Canada!

ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS CANADA

Established in 1969, the Canadian chapter of this international movement is dedicated to enriching the lives of Canadians with an intellectual disability through the transformative power and joy of sport. Operating out of sport clubs in 12 provincial and territorial Chapters, this grassroots movement reaches beyond the sphere of sport to empower individuals, change attitudes and build communities. From two-year-olds to mature adults, more than 40,000 athletes with an intellectual disability are registered in Special Olympics year-round programs across Canada. They are supported by more than 19,000 volunteers, including more than 14,000 trained coaches.

For more information, visit www.specialolympics.ca or follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@SpecialOCanada).

CONTACT: Bill Wilson 
         Director, Marketing & Communications 
         416-927-9050 ext. 4383
         bwilson@specialolympics.ca