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Executive Council
Tourism, Culture and Recreation
May 26, 2011

Outstanding Accomplishments of Provincial Athletes Honoured

More than 95 of the province’s elite male and female athletes were honoured at the 8th Annual Premier’s Athletic Awards, hosted last evening at the Holiday Inn St. John’s by the Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador.

“Every year Newfoundland and Labrador continues to produce outstanding athletes who compete provincially, nationally, and internationally,” said Premier Dunderdale. “It is an honour to acknowledge their tremendous accomplishments once again. I commend all the athletes for their commitment to their chosen sport. Their dedication and passion will be an inspiration for many years to come.”

The Premier’s Athletic Awards Program provides grants in the amounts of $500, $1,000, and $1,500 to assist young athletes with the costs of training and competition at the elite level. The amount each recipient receives is dependent on the level of competition in which they are engaged and the training requirements.

“Athletic excellence in Newfoundland and Labrador continues to flourish,” said the Honourable Terry French, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. “The Provincial Government is committed to the continued development of the province’s young athletes and to providing them with every opportunity to reach their athletic goals.”

A complete list of recipients can be found in the backgrounder below.

Yesterday’s ceremony also included the presentation of Team Gushue Scholarship Awards, valued at $5,000 each, to target shooter Ben Taylor of St. John’s and to competitive sailor Rebecca Power of St. John’s. Applications for the Team Gushue Scholarship Awards, which were first awarded in 2007, are made through the Sport Newfoundland and Labrador Scholarship Program.

A native of St. John’s, Mr. Taylor has been shooting for 10 years and competing for three. He was named provincial champion and three-time junior champion at the 2010 Provincial Air Rifle Championships. At the 2011 Canada Winter Games, Mr. Taylor was a double medalist, winning a bronze in both individual and team air rifle categories. Most recently, he was selected to represent Canada at the 26th Summer Universiade 2011, an event being hosted by the International University Sports Federation this August in China.

Ms. Power is in her third year of studies at the University of British Columbia. This past year she competed at the Canadian Olympic Regatta and placed seventh in the female category and 19th overall. She also competed in the 2010 Laser North American Championships, an event which was attended by 20 countries. In this competition, she was the first Canadian female, third female overall, and 17th out of a field of 98. Most recently, she qualified to become a member of the Canadian National Sailing Team’s training squad. This is the second time Ms. Power has received this award, making it the first time the Team Gushue Scholarship has been awarded to a repeat athlete.

The Premier’s Athletic Awards Program was established in 2005 and has provided more than $490,000 to support athletic excellence in Newfoundland and Labrador. For eligibility requirements and detailed information about the program, visit: www.tcr.gov.nl.ca/tcr/sports/premieraa.html

Budget 2011 Standing Strong: For Prosperity. For Our Future. For Newfoundland and Labrador provides $11.5 million to support recreation and sport in the province. Since the launch of the Provincial Government’s recreation and sport strategy, Active, Healthy Newfoundland and Labrador (2007), more than $70 million has been committed to recreational and sport infrastructure, programming, and athlete development throughout the province.

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Media contacts:

Milly Brown
Press Secretary
Office of the Premier
709-729-4304, 631-8477
millybrown@gov.nl.ca
Diana Quinton
Director of Communications
Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation
709-729-0928, 631-8155
dianaquinton@gov.nl.ca


BACKGROUNDER
2011 Premier’s Athletic Awards Recipients

 

SPORT NAME HOMETOWN
ATHLETICS Ryan Brockerville Marystown
Stephen Bursey St. John's
Thomas Faour St. John's
Jillian Forsey Kippens
Daniel Kelloway Mount Pearl
Shaughnessy O'Driscoll Bay Bulls
  Jesse Walsh Burnt Cove
BADMINTON Emily Alexander Kippens
BASEBALL John Blackmore St. John's
  Stefan Lono St. John's
BASKETBALL Sydney Ezekiel St. John's
Grace Fishbein St. John's
Daniel Foo Massey Drive
Alexandria Forsey St. John's
Mitchell Hearn St. Mary's Bay
Hannah Jardine St. John's
Aaron O'Brien Pasadena
Jason Shepherd St. John's
  Rosemary Stanoev St. John's
BOWLING Geoff Breen St. John's
CROSS COUNTRY Kathryn Boland Corner Brook
Philip Mcllroy Portugal Cove-St. Phillip’s
  Kyle Power Labrador City
CURLING Colin Thomas St. John's
Erica Trickett St. John's
CYCLING Zachery Garland Broad Cove
FIGURE SKATING Emily Benson Labrador City
Robyn-Lynn McGrath Conception Bay South
Matthew Power Conception Bay South
Grace Woodland Conception Bay South
Alexandra Young Corner Brook
Matthew Young Corner Brook
GOLF Jayne Hamlyn Grand Falls-Windsor
  Andrew Smith Clarenville
GYMNASTICS Erica Devereaux Logy Bay
Jessica O'Dea St. John's
  Jeannie Weir Conception Bay South
HANDBALL Leslie-Claire Amminson St. John's
Michael Gaulton St. John's
Colin Pumphrey St. John's
  Peter Walsh St. John's
HOCKEY Kristen Cooze Kippens
JUDO Scott Wood St. John's
POWERLIFTING Justin Miller St. John's
Stacey Price St. John's
Steve Price St. John's
Ryan Rowsell Massey Drive
ROWING Maria Clift Outer Cove
Ben Colbourne St. John's
Megan Fitzgerald St. John's
Michael Noel St. John's
Mitchell Thomas St. John's
Kiersten Van Gulick St. John's
Tyler Young St. John's
RUGBY Christopher Burt St. John's
Patrick Parfrey St. John's
Jordon Power Paradise
Deidre Rees St. John's
Robert Rogers Portugal Cove-St. Phillip’s
Shane Stratton Goulds
Casey Thorburn St. John's
Geoff Warden St. John's
Matthew Whittle Conception Bay South
Robert Wilson St. John's
SAILING Rebecca Power St. John's
SHOOTING Rene De Haitre St. John's
Jason Harnum Paradise
Samantha Marsh Mount Pearl
Emma Meulenkamp Portugal Cove-St. Phillip's
Benjamin Taylor St. John's
SOCCER Alyssa Armstrong St. John's
Emily Bailey Mount Pearl
Connie Lewis Outer Cove
Maria Mackey St. John's
Jane Pope St. John's
Alexander Pretty St. John's
Melissa Reid St. John's
SOFTBALL Shane Boland Goulds
SWIMMING Owen Daly St. John's
Rebecca Dyer Portugal Cove-St. Phillip's
Gavin Dyke Mount Pearl
David Forbes St. John's
Theoron Goosney Corner Brook
Dayna Hogan Kippens
Erica Noonan Stephenville
Kelsie Rogers Badger
Catherine Silotch St. John's
  Leah Tomblin St. John's
SYNCHRO SWIMMING Jessica MacDonald Corner Brook
TENNIS Matthew Bendzsa St. John's
Ian Connors St. John's
Josh Lehr St. John's
Cynthia Williams St. John's
TRIATHLON Jordon Baird Lewin's Cove
VOLLEYBALL Cohen Chaulk Corner Brook
Krista Hogan Kippens
Nathan Tilley St. John's
Sasha Wilkins Gambo

2011 05 26             11:50 a.m.

 
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