Petites annonces | Enchères au Québec | Appel d'offres | Emplois | Circulaires | Nos Hebdos | Interurbain | Rencontre en ligne | Weblocal
Courrier Laval
Pool hockey résultats
Arts et spectacles
Babillard communautaire
Club Lion - Souper bénéfice
Gala des grands chefs
Laval en fleurs - vins & fromages
Sports
Vie communautaire
Courrier Laval Bilingual Edition
Envoyer ce texte à un ami Imprimer cette page Réagissez à cet article

From Laval to Beijing: city’s best take on rest of the world

Eight athletes, three coaches – from Laval – at 2008 Summer Olympics

par Hugo Morissette
Voir tous les articles de Hugo Morissette
Article mis en ligne le 11 août 2008 à 9:53
Réagissez à cet article
From Laval to Beijing: city’s best take on rest of the world
Alexandre Despatie AngEve.jpg
Voir toutes les photos Voir toutes les photos
From Laval to Beijing: city’s best take on rest of the world
Eight athletes, three coaches – from Laval – at 2008 Summer Olympics
Eight elite athletes and three exceptional coaches, all from Laval, are presently in Beijing awaiting their turn to make their mark on the world stage that is the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
Half of the contingent from Laval representing our best athletes will compete in diving. The four divers are joined by coach Michel Larouche, who also has his roots in Île-Jésus.
Leading the way: Alexandre Despatie
The best hope for the Canadian Diving Team rests on the shoulders of veteran Alexandre Despatie, a superb athlete who has carved several niches for himself and for the country’s diving program on a world level, despite some nagging injuries.
Among the ground breaking accomplishments of the 23-year-old are a first Olympic medal for any Canadian diver and the first Canadian diver in history to win world titles in three categories: 1m, 3m, and 10m.

Despatie, who has had to battle several back and neck injuries which have put his career at risk, has now decided to concentrate his efforts on the 3m springboard and the 3m synchro, moving away from the 10m tower, a discipline he had conquered with gold at the World Championships in Barcelona in 2003, when he was a mere 18 years of age.
Marie-Ève Marleau
Possessing an impressive stash of 14 international medals in the 10m synchro with partner Émilie Heymans, Marie-Ève Marleau, 26, will compete this time in the 10m platform.

The pool and 10m tower in Beijing will be familiar territory for Marleau, as she and Heymans compete fresh from a second-place finish in a World Cup diving meet recently held there.
Roseline Filion
Also in diving, Roseline Filion, another Laval favourite, will do her best to chase down a medal in the 10m synchro with partner Meaghen Benfeito.
The pair has enjoyed previous international success winning bronze at the 2005 World Championships. Not expected to represent Canada in Beijing, in the country's only spot in the 10 m platform, they prevailed over the heavily-favoured Marleau and Heymans at the national trials for Olympic qualification, and have a good chance to finish strong, with the possibility of a medal.

How well she performs, however, will depend largely on whether an ankle fracture suffered this year has healed well-enough to allow her considerable talent to shine through.
Jennifer Abel
At 16, Laval's Jennifer Abel is one of the youngest athletes in the Canadian delegation to compete in Beijing. She's had quite a run to the Olympics since the turn of 2008, finishing second to Blythe Hartley in the 3m springboard at the national trials in June. She had finished 11th at the FINA World Cup in Beijing in February, in the same event she'll be diving into at the Beijing Games.
The Olympic diving events begin today, Sunday, August 10.
Achraf Tadili
The current holder of the Canadian 800m record in track, Achraf Tadili, 27, will be competing in his second Olympics, having finished 25th in Athens in 2004.
The expectations for Beijing are much higher, however, based on the runner's fifth-place finish at the last World Championships of Track and Field and his fourth place ranking at the 2007 Pan American Games.

We'll have to wait until Wednesday, August 20, at 7:00 pm, to find out how far the elite Laval runner has come. That's when he'll compete in his first heat in the 800 metres.
Martin Dugrenier
Winner of three straight medals at the 2005, 2006, and 2007 World Championships, Laval wrestler Martine Dugrenier is not just going to Beijing for the ride.
In 2008, she capped off her preparations for Beijing with a top spot finish in the 63kg weight class, at the Pan American Wrestling competition held in Colorado Springs, through which she solidified her place on the Canadian Olympic Wrestling Team.

The qualifying stages, elimination rounds, tie-breakers and championship finals in wrestling take place August 17, starting at 9:30 am.
Sandra Sassine
In fencing, Laval's Sandra Sassine, 2007 Pan American Games bronze medal winner in team competition, and gold medal winner at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, will make her first Olympic appearance in Beijing.

Sassine began her quest for Olympic excellence yesterday (Saturday) in individual matches, to be followed by team competition starting August 14.
Valérie Loker
In badminton, Valérie Loker of Laval, coached by Jean-Paul Girard, also from Laval, will be competing in her first Olympic Games.
A specialist in mixed doubles, Loker brings to the games a wealth of recent high-level experience and success, winning silver at the Pan American Games in 2007 alongside partner Mike Beres. In 2006, she was named Quebec's Best Female Badminton Player.

The mixed doubles competition begins August 12, with the round of 16.
Coaches & Officials
In addition to coaches Michel Larouche (diving) and Jean-Paul Girard (badminton), the eight Laval athletes will also have Julie Sauvé (synchronized swimming coach) at their disposal in Beijing.
As well, the Laval delegation can also count on the presence of Danek Nowosielski, head of delegation, and fencing judge Gabriella Mayer.

Completing the list of athletes representing Laval in 2008 Olympic competition is Brendan Gaulin who'll participate in the Para-Olympics scheduled for September 6 to 17.

Photos:

AngDep.jpg

AngEve.jpg

AngFil.jpg

AngAb (Abel).jpg



AngCh.jpg

AngMar.jpg

AngSan.jpg

AngLok.jpg

AngMic.jpg

AngJpG.jpg

(Photos: Martin Alarie)
Envoyer ce texte à un ami Envoyer ce texte à un ami
Imprimer cette pageImprimer cette page
Réagissez à cet articleRéagissez à cet article

Ces articles pourraient également vous intéresser

Affichage des photos

From Laval to Beijing: city’s best take on rest of the world
From Laval to Beijing: city’s best take on rest of the world
From Laval to Beijing: city’s best take on rest of the world
From Laval to Beijing: city’s best take on rest of the world
From Laval to Beijing: city’s best take on rest of the world
From Laval to Beijing: city’s best take on rest of the world
From Laval to Beijing: city’s best take on rest of the world
From Laval to Beijing: city’s best take on rest of the world
From Laval to Beijing: city’s best take on rest of the world
From Laval to Beijing: city’s best take on rest of the world

Vos commentaires

Nom complet:
(requis)


Adresse courriel:


Vos commentaires :
(requis)


Svp inscrire le mot affiché ci-dessus Impossible de lire le mot?

Svp inscrire le mot affiché ci-dessus:


Nadine Goujarian

Commentaire mis en ligne le 2 septembre 2008
I live in Laval and I have a daughter , she is 11 years old. She wants to be a part of synchronized swimming in Laval. Cna you please provide me with phone number that I can reach to register her.

Nouvelles les plus consultées

Chroniqueurs

Chez nos voisins


Nos HebdosNos Hebdos

La question du net

  • Utiliserez-vous les services d'Opération Nez rouge?
  • Oui
  • Non

Voir les résultatsVoir les résultats

Nouvelles nationales


Nouvelles nationales Nouvelles nationales

Liens


Liens Liens

Les Affaires.com - RSS