Posted: February 2, 2004

Athletics:New Manager Of Events For Athletics Canada

(February 2, 2004, Ottawa) – In its ongoing commitment towards hosting entertaining, high-level, well-organized national championships, Athletics Canada is pleased to announce the hiring of Paul Hardy as the new manager of events of the association.

Hardy is a well-seasoned event manager and sport marketer who is no stranger to the Canadian track and field community or to amateur sport in general. His event management career was launched in 1987, working with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in London, England. In 1990, he returned to Canada for two years to work as Athletics Canada’s competitions coordinator, following which he returned to the IAAF for an additional five years to work as the organization’s technical director/deputy director of competition. Hardy has also worked as senior manager/head of event operations for ISL Marketing in Lucerne, Switzerland as well as deputy chief operating officer for the Canadian Soccer Association. With 17 years of hands-on experience in planning major events, Hardy’s long list of accomplishments include the successful staging of the 2001 IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Edmonton and the 2003 IAAF World Youth Championships in Sherbrooke as the director of competition.

“Paul brings a wealth of experience in dealing with organizing committees, sponsors, athletes and the media, and we are delighted to welcome him to our team,” says Joanne Mortimore, chief operating officer of Athletics Canada. “He has been involved in some of the world’s largest sporting events and we look forward to his guidance and contribution towards bringing our national championships to a higher level. His professional attitude and enthusiasm, as well as his team approach with organizing committees will bode well as we set higher standards of delivery for our future events.”

Hardy begins work with Athletics Canada today. Initially, he will be working on a part-time basis for the association due to a current commitment to running the Can-Am Police Fire Games, taking place in London ON July 11 to 18. Hardy’s immediate focus will be the management of the bidding process for Athletics Canada’s 2005-2006 national championships as well as liaison with organizing committees for the six upcoming 2004 national championships. This includes track and field’s key domestic event this summer, the 2004 Canada Dry Canadian Senior Championships and Olympic Trials taking place in Victoria, July 9-11

Hardy will be working in concert with Athletics Canada’s new marketing associates, Margie Schuett and Susan Elliot, as well as with the association’s director of communications, Penny Joyce and AC’s marketing and events coordinator, Ivonne Shoucair. He can be reached by e-mail at phardy@athletics.ca.

Athletics Canada is the national sport governing body for the sport of track and field including cross-country running and road running. Its purpose is to support high performance athletics excellence at the world level and to provide leadership in developmental athletics. Athletics Canada is a not for profit, charitable organization operating under a board of directors elected by provincial / territorial members.

The Athletics Canada website is at: www.athleticscanada.com.