WINNIPEG (August 1, 2023) – Racquetball Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced Canada\u2019s racquetball team nominated to compete at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Canada will send four athletes to compete in seven events, which includes women\u2019s and men\u2019s singles, doubles, and team events, as well as mixed doubles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The athletes selected for Team Canada’s racquetball team for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Athletes:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Coby Iwaasa (Lethbridge, Alta.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique Lambert (Montr\u00e9al, Que.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mich\u00e8le Morissette (Baie-Comeau, Que.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Samuel Murray (Baie-Comeau, Que.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The four athletes qualified for Team Canada based on their performances at three tournaments held over the past year, including two National Team Selection Events and the 2023 National Championships. Canada earned its quota of four athletes at the 2023 Pan Am Championships held last March in Guatemala.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The team is made up of veteran athletes who have all competed for Canada at previous Pan Am Games and at the IRF World Championships. Lambert will be competing at her fourth Pan Am Games, with the goal of adding to the bronze medal she won at Toronto 2015 in the women\u2019s team event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am very excited to be competing at my fourth Pan Am Games,\u201d said Lambert. \u201cI\u2019m really looking forward to the opportunity to play mixed and women\u2019s doubles again in international competition and build on our success from the 2022 World Championships. We have an experienced team with great chemistry and I can\u2019t wait to be part of Team Canada at the Games. This will likely be my last Pan Am Games experience, so I\u2019m really hoping to win an individual medal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Iwaasa and Morissette are competing at their third Pan Am Games, also with the goal of adding to the medals they won at Toronto 2015 in their respective team events. This is Murray\u2019s second Pan Am Games and he is eager to build on his international and pro tour success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The team\u2019s success at the world championship level will be of benefit. Combined, the four athletes have won 12 world championship medals and come into Santiago 2023 following a very successful 2022 World Championships where they won four medals. That haul was headlined by silvers from Lambert and Murray in mixed doubles as well as Murray and Iwaasa in the men\u2019s team event. There were also bronze medals won in both the women\u2019s and men\u2019s doubles events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRacquetball Canada’s athletes will be primed and prepared to compete for medals at the Santiago 2023 Pan Am Games,\u201d said Jennifer Saunders, Racquetball Canada\u2019s High Performance Director, who competed for Team Canada at Toronto 2015 and Lima 2019. \u201cWe have a cohesive, well supported team that is pushing to build on their recent international medal results. With the Games being a highlight of the racquetball competitive schedule the entire team is looking to bring their best to the courts in Santiago, striving to be valuable members of Team Canada.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Racquetball will take place October 21- 26 (Days 1 to 6) at the Estadio Nacional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Get ready to witness racquetball greatness! Canada’s finest athletes are set to dominate the Pan-Am Games with their killer racquet skills,” said Christine Girard, Team Canada’s Santiago 2023 Chef de Mission. “This sport may not be in the Olympics, but they’re showing the world what they’re missing!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Team Canada’s racquetball team alternate athletes, coaches and support staff for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alternate Athletes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Lee Connell (Saskatoon, Sask.) – Alternate Athlete (Non-Travelling)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Juliette Parent (Saint-Jacques, Que.) – Alternate Athlete (Non-Travelling)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Danielle Ramsay (Saskatoon, Sask.) – Alternate Athlete (Non-Travelling)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trevor Webb (Cambridge, Ont.) – Alternate Athlete (Non-Travelling)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Coach<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Michel Gagnon (Longueuil, Que.) – National Team Coach<\/p>\n\n\n\n Support Staff<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jennifer Saunders (Winnipeg, Man.) – High Performance Director<\/p>\n\n\n\n Amy Barrette (Baie-Comeau, Que.) – Team Therapist<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee\u2019s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The latest Team Canada Santiago 2023 roster can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n -30-<\/p>\n\n\n\n MEDIA CONTACTS:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jan Hanson, Director of Communications<\/p>\n\n\n\n Racquetball Canada<\/p>\n\n\n\n C: 306-502-4422<\/p>\n\n\n\n