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Triathlon competitor Candelaria Gras. Photo: BILL POTRECZ

The Niagara Region will be well represented at the London 2024 Ontario Summer Games which begin Thursday night with the opening ceremonies at Western Alumni Stadium.

Team Niagara is composed of more than 100 athletes and coaches representing the region in eight sports at the event which will feature 3,500 participants (athletes, coaches and officials), with most athletes ranging in age from 12 to 18 years old. The Games run Aug. 1-4 at various locations in London.

鈥淲e鈥檙e all behind you,鈥� Jay Tredway, Ridley College Assistant Head of School and Co-curricular and Community Connection, told the coaches and athletes at send-off event hosted by Sport Niagara Wednesday evening at Oakes Park in Niagara Falls. 鈥淣iagara is behind you. Many of us wish we were you. We鈥檙e going to be cheering you from the top of the escarpment for the entire time, so please do us proud.鈥�

Golfer Cole Thompson, a 17-year-old Grimsby native who will be entering Grade 12 at Blessed Trinity in September, is eager to share the experience with golf coach John White and team members Andrew Burciul, Sierra Kowalyshyn, Kian Oelofse, Will Burleigh, Mikayla Lacey, John Kingdon, Michael Martel and听Casey Kenney.

鈥淚t鈥檚 awesome,鈥� Thompson said. 鈥淚 love all these guys. They鈥檙e all my buddies. I鈥檓 really looking forward to it.

鈥淚鈥檓 going to try and enjoy it as much as I can. It鈥檚 an individual and team event as well and I鈥檓 just going to play the best I can and hope it all works out as a team.鈥�

Thompson, who was a regular on the Niagara District Junior Golf Tour last summer, is concentrating on match play this year.

鈥淚 just came back from U19 match play in Waterloo and made it to semifinals,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 played really well and I guess that鈥檚 my preparation for this. I鈥檝e been playing lots of tournaments this season. I didn鈥檛 have a great start to the season but it鈥檚 definitely getting there.听

鈥淢y game is at a really good point now.鈥�

Thompson is well aware a good performance for Team Niagara could be a stepping stone for a scholarship down the road.

鈥淚鈥檓 going to try and not complicate it, and as far as golf goes, just play it like it鈥檚 another round and not think of the outcomes and the possibilities,鈥� he said.听

Triathlon competitor Candelaria Gras, a 15-year-old Denis Morris student, is eager to see how she stacks up against the competition.

鈥淗onestly, I鈥檓 just expecting to go there and do my best and hopefully I can see improvement and push myself and at the same time have fun,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to try and do well. I know I鈥檓 competing against some athletes that are older.

鈥淚t鈥檚 like the first big step before doing anything else. I鈥檓 really excited to be with my friends there as well. I don鈥檛 get to see them as much because we live in all different parts of the province.鈥�

Gras, who is a member of Edge Sports, loves the challenge of the event which involves swimming, cycling and running.听

鈥淚 started when I was nine or 10 and I just stuck with it. I love the triathlon so much. I love the environment. It鈥檚 competitive but everyone loves each other and everyone is super nice and kind,鈥� she said.

Gras said the cycling is her favourite discipline of three.

鈥淚 do my best in the bike and my run has been pretty good this year,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n Grade 9 I was training for cross country and track and I think that鈥檚 helped my running.鈥�

Gras would love to find a fit to be able to pursue triathlon at the university level.

鈥淚 really do like triathlon. Obviously, there aren鈥檛 a lot of opportunities . . .听 I really want to go somewhere with triathlon. It鈥檚 fun and I enjoy it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 feel like I really do have an opportunity in the future with this sport.鈥�

Following is a list of Team Niagara coaches and athletes.

Girls Basketball听

Coaches听

Charles Kissi

Wayne Zarowny

Loris Lucchetta

Athletes

Tessa Bailey

Guilana Di Marcantonio

Evie Haine

Milena Lucchetta

Valencia Sorgini

Mara Sweeney

Brooklyn Zarowny

Gabrielle Kissi

Isabella Delyiannis

Boys Baseball

Coaches

Steve Wiersma

Kyle Davis

Andrew Jubenville

Jason Twardawa

Athletes

Cohen Enzlin

Jack Tredway

Matthew Bullough

Benny Wiersma

Payton Lanteigne

Ben Twardawa

Carson Jubenville

Jack Ruscio

Kaeleb Lyons

Mason Muzzell

Matteo Depetrillo

Ryan McWilliams

Zach Davis

Austyn Ellis

Canoe

Coach

Ozturk Kuru

Athletes

Kathleen Lowry

Kayak

Coach

Ozturk Kuru

Athletes

Jonothan Barrett

Triathlon

Athletes

Candelaria Gras

Jose Gras

U17 Rugby

Athletes

Connor Cavey

Ava Hodgson

Emma Sauer

Renee Engel

Iyeainipekun-Oluwa Ogunkeye

Girls Volleyball

Coach

Kyle Johnson

Athletes

Elizabeth Mcqueen

Jacqueline Galipeau

Maddy Hall

Renae Stefels

Boys Volleyball

Coach

Kyle Johnson

Athletes

Colin Jones

Jaden Hoff

Owen Denbak

Golf

Coach

John White

Athletes

Andrew Burciul

Cole Thompson

Sierra Kowalyshyn

Kian Oelofse

Will Burleigh

Mikayla Lacey

John Kingdon

Michael Martel

Casey Kenney

Para Track & Field

Athlete

Christopher Sabastin

Track & Field听

Head Coach

Ron Cuffy

Assistant Coaches

Bruce Burton

Novelette Gordon

Mark Goveia

Team Manager

Daniela Papac

U14 Boys Track & Field

Athletes

Albert Ankomah

Cailin Ali

Calvin Henry

Connor Shaw

Dante Pietrangelo

Noah Latham

Addison Paquette

Akeelah McDonald

Avery Parkes

Danielle Charters

Jabisha Paranitharan

Lylah O鈥橯uinn

Olivia Froemchen

U16 Girls Track & Field

Athletes

Anthony Phinn

Deagen Hallett

Elijah Samuels

Evan Blake

Jamaldeen Adigun

Owen Craddock

Owen Mathieson

Rakesh Rajakulathilakan

Samacki Thomas

Tyrique Woodside

Adele Kushner

Arthana Sangarathas

Crystal Akerele

Frances Vollett

Helena Georgiou

Isla Reinhart

Kaitlyn May

Kirthiga Gumarathas

Lebisa Paranitharan

Maeva Scipio

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