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The athletics competition at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, begin on Saturday, July 30 and run through Sunday, August 7.
Thirty-seven Canadian athletes (14 men and 23 women) led by three defending Commonwealth medalists, a recent world silver medalist, 17 defending Canadian champions and the world's fourth-ranked shot putter will face competitors hailing from 72 Commonwealth countries and battle for medals in one of the top sporting events of the year.
As it was during the opening ceremony, Josh Cassidy will lead Team Canada into competition. The three-time Paralympian and Boston Marathon wheelchair race champion bore the flag through Alexander Stadium on Thursday, and will be the team’s first track and field athlete in action when the marathons kick off on Saturday.
Carrying the flag was awesome... one of those “pinch me” moments you never think you’ll get as an athlete," said Cassidy. "Just an amazing surprise and so special."
The marathoner said the Commonwealth course will present a hefty test.
"It to be very dangerous and technical, with more elevation than New York or Boston marathon. So it will be a tough one, but I’m looking forward to the challenge of it - always.
The rest of the athletics competition will take place between August 2 and 7. Canada’s team will feature superstar throwers like world silver medalist Camryn Rogers and fourth place finisher Sarah Mitton, but will be without 2022 World Championship podium finishers Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, and Pierce Lepage, who all withdrew from the Games after completing their events in Oregon.
At the last Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia in 2018, Team Canada was led by Alysha Newman, Christabel Nettey and Alex Dupont's respective first place finishes in the women's pole vault and long jump, and men's 1,500m (T54), and came away with a total medal haul of two golds, six silvers and one bronze.
Birmingham 2022 will feature 19 sports and 8 para-sports as part of its program with up to 4,500 athletes taking part. The Commonwealth Games are the only multi-sport event that feature equal standing for sport and para-sport events, and these 2022 Games will showcase the largest para-sport program ever. In addition, for the first time in its history, the Games will feature more medal events for women (135) than men (133).
The Athletes that will represent Canada in able-bodied events in Birmingham includes:
| Camryn Rogers | Hammer Throw | Richmond, BC | Mohamad Saatara | Kajaks Track and Field Club |
| Sarah Mitton | Shot put | North York, ON | Richard Parkinson | SISU Throws |
| Adam Keenan | Hammer Throw | Victoria, BC | Sheldan Gmitroski /Anatoliy Bondarchuk | Athletics Victoria |
| Evan Dunfee | 10km Race Walk | Richmond, BC | Gerry Dragomir | Race Walk West |
| Kyra Constantine | 4x400m Relay | Brampton, ON | Quincy Watts | Project Athletics |
| Natassha McDonald | 4x400m Relay | Brampton, ON | Project Athletics | |
| Aiyanna Stiverne | 4x400m Relay | Laval, QC | Ronald Morency | Dynamique De Laval |
| Zoe Sherar | 4x400m Relay | Toronto, ON | Jason Kerr | Royal City AC |
| Brendon Rodney | 4x100m Relay | Etobicoke, ON | Jermaine Hamilton | Unattached Ontario |
| Malachi Murray | 4x100m Relay | Edmonton, AB | Rob Fisher | Capital City Track Club |
| Jillian Weir | Hammer Throw | Kingston, ON | Larry Steinke | Unattached Ontario |
| Rowan Hamilton | Hammer Throw | Chilliwack, BC | Garrett Collier | Kajaks Track and Field Club |
| Elizabeth Gleadle | Javelin | Vancouver, BC | Larry Steinke | Vancouver Thunderbirds |
| Alysha Newman | Pole Vault | Delaware, ON | Doug Wood | Bolton Pole Vault |
| Malik Metivier | 400mH | Toronto, ON | Godfrey James | Monte Cristo |
| Ethan Katzberg | Hammer Throw | Nanaimo, BC | Dylan Armstrong | Kamloops Track and Field |
| Christabel Nettey | Long Jump | Surrey, BC | Nick Newman | Unattached BC |
| Lindsey Butterworth | 800m | North Vancouver, BC | Brit Townsend | Coastal Track Club |
| Lucia Stafford | 1500m | Toronto, ON | Terry Radchenko | Royal City AC |
| Michelle Harrison | 100mH | Saskatoon, SK | Jason Reindl | Saskatoon Track Club |
| Brittany Crew | Shot Put | Toronto, ON | Richard Parkinson | Unattached Ontario |
| John Gay | 3000m Steeplechase | Kelowna, BC | Chris Johnson | Vancouver Thunderbirds |
| Madeleine Kelly | 800m | Pembroke, ON | Terry Radchenko | Royal City AC |
| Anicka Newell | Pole Vault | Saskatoon, SK | Brookelyn Dickson | Project Athletics |
| Kaila Butler | Hammer Throw | Port Coquitlam, BC | Derrick Vicars | Unattached |
| William Paulson | 1500m | Quebec City, QC | Mark Rowland | Oregon Track Club Elite |
| Noelle Montcalm | 400mH | Windsor, ON | Don Garrod | U Windsor AC |
| Julie-Anne Staehli | 5000m | Lucknow, ON | Mark Coogan | Team New Balance Boston |
The Athletes that will represent Canada in the para-events in Birmingham include:
| Athlete Name | Events (s) | Hometown | Coach | Club |
| David Johnson | 100m (T12) | Victoria, BC | Geoff Harris | Vic City Elite |
| Zachary Gingras | 100m (T38) | Markham, ON | Geoff Harris | Vic City Elite |
| Josh Cassidy | 1500m/Marathon (T54) | Port Elgin, ON | Amanda Fader | Ottawa Lions |
| Jessica Frotten | 1500m (T53) | Whitehorse, YK | Geoff Harris | Cyclones |
| Sarah Mickey | Shot Put (F55) | Redcliff, AB | Kim Cousins | CALTAF |
| Alexandre Dupont | 1500m (T54) | La Salle, QC | Rick Reelie | Saint-Laurent sélect |
| Nandini Sharma | 1500m (T54) | Brampton, ON | Lisa Myers | Cruisers Sports |
| Thomas Normandeau | 100m (T47) | Peace River, AB | Geoff Harris | Vic City Elite |
| Natalie Thirsk | 100m (T38) | Edmonton, AB | Taylor Ehrhardt | Green and Gold |
The Team's Coaches include:
| Simon Nathan | Ottawa, ON | Team Leader |
| Glenroy Gilbert | Ottawa, ON | Head Coach |
| Carla Nicholls | Regina, SK | Para Lead |
| Caroline Sharp | Ottawa, ON | Media Attache |
| Kristine Deacon | Cambridge, ON | Team Manager |
| Charles Allen | Toronto, ON | Team Coach |
| Geoff Harris | Victoria, BC | Team Coach |
| Brett Lumley | Windsor, ON | Team Coach |
| Mike Van Tighem | Summerland, BC | Team Coach |
| Vickie Croley | London, ON | Team Coach |
| Sheldan Gmitroski | Victoria, BC | Team Coach |
| Ali Nagata | Stouffville, ON | IST Lead |
| Dr. Sari Kraft | Toronto, ON | Team Physician |
| Brad Curry | Victoria, BC | IST (Physiotherapist) |
| Carolyn Daubeny | Vancouver, BC | IST (Massage Therapist) |
| Elna Johnson | Port Moody, BC | IST (Chiropractor) |
| Al Bodnarchuk | Saskatoon, SK | IST (Massage Therapist) |
| Dana Way | Winnipeg Beach, MB | IST (Biomechanist) |
MEDIA INQUIRIES:
Please contact:
Caroline Sharp
Phone/WhatsApp: 613-323-5605
Email: caroline.sharp@athletics.ca
