OTTAWA, Aug. 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With the Legion’s Dominion President Bruce Julian firing the starting pistol shot, this year’s edition of the Legion Nationals got underway at the Université de Sherbrooke Stadium this evening, with competition beginning tomorrow.
This year’s Games are hosted by Bishop’s University and the Ville de Sherbrooke, with events at the Université de Sherbrooke Stadium. Over 900 young competitors are hoping to medal during the championships from August 11-13. The Legion Nationals are Canada’s only track and field competition for the under-16 and under-18 categories.
“The Local Organizing Committee is also a huge part of these Games, ensuring everything goes smoothly and our athletes have the time of their lives,” says Brian Weaver, Legion Sports Committee Chairman and Dominion Vice President. “We can’t wait to see all the great competitors perform once again this year. They are shining examples of hard work and perseverance.”
The first ever Games Ambassador and Invictus medalist Michael Trauner will help encourage the athletes with his personal story and cheer them along the way.
“What excites me the most is looking towards the future and realizing that sports allows you to be as amazing as you choose to be,” says Trauner. “There is no limitation to what these athletes can do, as long as they dedicate themselves towards their own personal goals.”
This is the 45th year for the event organized by the Legion. The competition grew from Legionnaires’ support and promotion of youth sports as a healthy activity to help children whose fathers or mothers were serving abroad or had served in the Armed Forces. The Legion later developed local, provincial, and national youth athletic programs, which now culminate in the games.
This year’s championships commemorate the 75th anniversary of United Nations Peacekeeping. Since the beginning of the UN missions, over 125,000 Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP have been deployed. The Legion recognizes these members in both thought and through the design of this year’s winning medals.
“Those who serve in peacekeeping roles must be remembered too,” says Bruce Julian, Dominion President. “We are proud to have this opportunity to shine a spotlight on their service and sacrifice.”
The Legion’s Dominion Command sponsors hundreds of athletes each year, with the support of branches and provincial or territorial commands from across the country. Several hundred other youth join as open athletes. All Legion Commands except Prince Edward Island are represented this year by over 300 competitors; and there are over 600 Open athletes.
The Legion thanks all its generous sponsors including key supporters, PIB Inc., and the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada.
Many Legion alumni have gone on to compete at the international level including as part of the Commonwealth, Pan Am and Olympic games. Results will be available throughout the competition as described further below.
Canadian cities host the Legion Nationals for two years, and the next city hosting the Games in 2024 and 2025 will be Calgary, Alberta.
Competition livestream:
Watch live starting August 11: live action
(Note: Link will be updated closer to competition day 1)
Learn more and view schedule:
2023 Legion Nationals information centre
Legion Nationals background
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About The Royal Canadian Legion
Founded in 1925, the Legion is Canada’s largest Veteran support and community service organization. We are a non-profit organization with a national reach across Canada as well as branches in the U.S., and in Europe. With more than 250,000 members, many of whom volunteer an extraordinary amount of time to their branches, our strength is in our numbers.
Public Relations & Media: PublicRelations@Legion.ca
Legion.ca
Facebook.com/CanadianLegion
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youtube.com/user/RCLDominionCommand
Public Relations/ National Media Inquiries:
Nujma Bond
nbond@legion.ca
343-540-7604.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
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