Athletics: Athletics Canada names 2004 World Cross Country Championships Team

(Ottawa, February 25, 2004) - Athletics Canada is pleased to announce its 34-member team that will be competing at the 32nd IAAF World Cross Country Championships taking place in Brussels, Belgium, March 20-21, 2004.

"The competition will be very tough since, unlike other major track championships or games, each country can enter up to six athletes per event," says Martin Goulet, Athletics Canada's national program director for endurance events and head coach for the Brussels 2004 team. "We're approaching these championships as a 'team' event and believe that both our senior men and senior women short course teams have a solid chance of finishing in the top eight in the world."

The team will be made up of a wide variety of runners –juniors and seniors, Olympians and development athletes who concentrate in both middle distance and long distance events. “The world cross country teams provides an excellent opportunity for athletes to share ideas and goals as well as build a sense of unity and confidence, “adds Goulet.

Team members, along with their age, hometown and personal coach/technical advisor are listed below:

Junior Women (6.2 Km)

Michelle Childs, 18, Cameron, ON, Dave Small
Danette Doetzel, 17, Macklin, SK, Steve Gersten
Katie Engel, 16, North Gower, ON, Vince Fay
Holly Van Gestel, 16, Antigonish, NS, Bernie Chisholm
Alyson Kohlmeier, 17, Sarnia, ON, Mark MacDonald
Tarah McKay, 16, St. Clements, ON, Peter Grinsberg

Junior Men (8 Km)

Henok Lechebo, 18, Toronto, ON, Dave Christiani
Sam Pawluk, 18, Richmond, BC, Mike O'Connor
Aaron Robson, 17, Lethbridge, AB, John Bole
Chris Winter, 17, North Vancouver, BC, Frank Reynolds
David Wishart, 18, Toronto, ON, Shane Lakins
Mike Woods, 17, Ottawa, ON, Ian Clark

Senior Women Long Course (8 Km)

Lisa Labrecque, 26, Sudbury, ON, Dick Moss
Stephanie Mills, 26, Burnaby, BC, Brent Fougner
Émilie Mondor, 23, Mascouche, QC, Mike Lonergan
Kristina Rody, 27, Maryhill, ON, Dave Scott-Thomas
Rebecca Stallwood, 25, Burlington, ON, Sean Cleary
Maria Zambrano, 34, Calgary, AB, Alex Ulaszonek

Senior Women Short Course (4 Km)

Tina Connelly, 33, Port Coquitlam, BC, Marek Jedrzejek
Carmen Douma-Hussar, 27, Cambridge, ON, Marcus O'Sullivan
Malindi Elmore, 23, Kelowna, BC, Mike Van Tighem
Courtney Inman, 24, Mt. Lehman, BC, Brit Townsend
Emilie Mondor, 23, Mascouche, QC, Mike Lonergan
Leah Pells, 39, Coquitlam , BC, Mike Lonergan

Senior Men Long Course (12.3 Km)

Michael Booth, 24, Winnipeg, MB, Chris McCubbins
Joel Bourgeois, 33, Grande-Digue, NB, Sylvain Lavallée
Jeremy Deere, 29, Calgary, AB, Alex Ulaszonek
Matt Johnston, 25, Surrey, BC, Scott Svelander
Taylor Murphy, 25, Guelph, ON, Dave Scott-Thomas
Steve Osaduik, 24, Nanaimo, BC, Allen Johnston

Senior Men Short Course (4 Km)

Joel Bourgeois, 33, Grande-Digue, NB, Sylvain Lavallée
Jayson Cantin, 26, Guelph, ON, Dave Scott-Thomas
Reid Coolsaet, 24, Guelph, ON, Dave Scott-Thomas
Ryan Hayden, 22, Richmond, BC, Mike O’Connor
Paul Morrison, 23, Gander, NF, Jason Vigilante
Kevin Sullivan, 30, Brantford, ON, Ron Warhurst

Team Staff

Head Coach, Martin Goulet, Montreal, QC
Manager, Carol McDermid, Calgary AB
Assistant Coach, Kevin Heisler, Halifax, NS
Assistant Coach, Geordie Farrell, Port Elgin, ON
Physician, Linda Thyer, Vancouver, BC
Physiotherapist, Connie Beukeboom, London, ON

Massage Therapist, Marcel Charland, St. John’s, NF

Team members depart for Europe on March 12 to participate in a five-day training camp in Spa, Belgium, which is about 133 km from Brussels.

From Athletics Canada.