31 Albertans to compete in Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics

The Canadian flag is now flying high at Rio de Janeiro’s Olympic Village, which most Canadian athletes will call home until the end of the 17-day quadrennial sporting event.

Canada has sent a massive contingent of 314 athletes to compete across 37 sports in the Summer Olympic Games beginning today, joining over 11,000 athletes from 205 other participating nations.

It is all part of the collective bid of taking home at least 19 medals at the events, a modest goal established by the Canadian Olympic Committee – an increase of one medal over the total haul in London four years ago when 279 athletes were fielded.

Alberta has generally been a popular training location for Winter Games athletes given that it has the Rocky Mountain a close drive from major cities and a number of world-class training facilities stemming from the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary. However well-developed sport organizations that support athlete training and development have emerged for Summer Olympic games as well in the province.

These locally connected athletes will be competing in 11 sports, mainly in athletics, cycling, and volleyball.

.@CyclingCanada‘s track team has arrived at #Rio2016. More on this squad: https://t.co/b7YTcARSdC pic.twitter.com/jvjhMiEIL3

— Team Canada (@TeamCanada) August 4, 2016

Albertan athletes at Rio 2016

Athletics

• Akeem Haynes: 24; born and hometown in Calgary, AB
• Angela Whyte: 36; born and hometown in Edmonton, AB
• Carline Muir: 28; born in Spanish Town, Jamaica, hometown in Edmonton, AB
• Heather Steacy: 28: born in Saskatoon, SL; hometown Lethbridge, AB
• Jessica O’Connell: 27; born and hometown in Calgary, AB
• Kendra Clarke: 19; born and hometown in Edmonton, AB
• Maria Bernard: 23; born and hometown in Calgary, AB
• Mathieu Bilodeau: 32; born in Quebec City, QC; hometown in Calgary, AB
• Sage Watson: 22; born and hometown in Medicine Hat, AB

Badminton

• Martin Giuffre: 25; born and hometown in Calgary, AB

Basketball

• Katherine Plouffe: 23; born and hometown in Edmonton, AB
• Michelle Plouffe: 23; born and hometown in Edmonton, AB

Cycling

• Allison Beveridge: Cycling – Track; 23; born and hometown in Calgary, AB
• Laura Brown: Cycling – Track; 29; born in Calgary, Alberta; hometown in Vancouver, BC
• Kate O’Brien: Cycling – Track; born and hometown in Calgary, AB
• Monique Sullivan: Cycling – Track; 27; born and hometown in Calgary, AB
• Tara Whitten: Cycling – Road; 36; born in Toronto, ON; hometown in Calgary, AB

Rowing

• Nicole Hare: 22; born and hometown in Calgary, AB

Rugby 

• Ashley Steacy: 29; born and hometown in Lethbridge, AB
• Jen Kish; 28; born in Ottawa, ON; hometown in Edmonton, AB

Shooting

• Lynda Kiejko: 35; born in Winchester, ON; hometown in Calgary, AB

Soccer

• Stephanie Labbé: 29; born in Edmonton, AB; hometown in Stony Plain, AB

Swimming

• Jason Block: 26; born and hometown in Calgary, AB
• Rachel Nicol: 23; born in Regina, SK; hometown in Lethbridge, AB
• Yuri Kisil: 20; born and hometown in Calgary, AB

Volleyball

• Blair Bann: Vollyball – Indoor; 28; born and hometown in Edmonton, AB
• Graham Vigrass: Vollyball – Indoor; 27; born and hometown in Calgary, AB
• Jay Blankenau: Vollyball – Indoor; 26; born in Edmonton, AB; hometown in Sherwood Park, AB
• Chaim Schalk: Beach Volleyball; 30; born and hometown in Red Deer, AB
• Rudy Verhoeff: Vollyball – Indoor; 27; born and hometown in Calgary, AB

Wrestling

• Danielle Lappage: 25; born and hometown in Olds, AB