Bruno Garneau added to Boccia team for Rio 2016 Paralympic Games
Bruno Garneau competes in Pairs BC3 – Round 3 in the Abilities Centre during the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games (Photo: Matthew Murnaghan/Canadian Paralympic Committee)
Ottawa, ON (Aug. 23, 2016) – The Canadian Paralympic Committee and Boccia Canada have announced an update to the boccia team that will compete for Team Canada at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
Bruno Garneau (Montreal, Que.) has been added to the Canadian boccia team.
Garneau replaces Paul Gauthier (Vancouver, B.C.), who is unable to compete in Rio due to injury.
Garneau competes in the BC3 division and most recently won a gold medal at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games in mixed pairs with teammates Paul Gauthier and Éric Bussière. A London 2012 Paralympian, Garneau is a veteran of the sport and has been a national team member since 2010.
“It’s unfortunate that Paul will not be able to compete with us in Rio.” said Head Coach Mario Delisle. “Paul has been a leader in our program for 20 years and this would have been his sixth Paralympic Games. We are lucky though, to have a player of Bruno’s calibre, ready to step up for Canada.”
Bruno Garneau’s biography is available at paralympic.ca/bruno-garneau and bocciacanada.ca.
Bios and high resolution photos can be downloaded at http://tinyurl.com/j3ezk8y.
About the Canadian Paralympic Committee: www.paralympic.ca
About Boccia Canada
Boccia Canada is the boccia delivery arm of the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Sports Association (CCPSA), the National Sport Organization for the Paralympic sport of boccia. Boccia Canada is focused on providing athletes and individuals of all ages and skill with the chance to play a unique Paralympic sport. CCPSA collaborates with partners to increase the participation of Canadians with cerebral palsy and related disabilities in sport and physical activity, while leading, developing and growing boccia from grassroots, to producing World and Paralympic Champions.
About boccia
Boccia is a Paralympic sport of precision and strategy similar to lawn bowling or curling, played by athletes with Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy and related disabilities. It is one of only two Paralympic sports that do not have an Olympic counterpart. Athletes compete in one of six sport classes based on their level and type of disability: BC1, BC2, BC3 BC4, BC5, and Open.
For more information please contact:
Jennifer Larson
Program Manager, Boccia Canada
Email: [email protected]
Phone Number: (613) 748-1430 x2 | Cell: (613)806-5669
Alison Korn
Senior Manager, Media Relations and Communications, Canadian Paralympic Committee
Email: [email protected]
Phone Number: 613-569-4333 ext. 243 | Cell: 613-298-4927