OTTAWA, Aug. 05, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With a starting pistol shot by Quebec’s Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable J. Michel Doyon, the Legion Nationals officially got underway at the Université de Sherbrooke Stadium Thursday, with full competition events beginning today.
The annual Games hosted this year by l’Université de Sherbrooke, La Ville de Sherbrooke, and local Legion Branch 242, attract hundreds of athletes from across the country. Over 600 young competitors will vie for medals from August 5-7, in Canada’s only track and field championships for the under 16 and under 18 categories.
“Our hosts, and the Local Arrangements Committee have worked tirelessly to ensure some pretty amazing Games once again this year,” says Brian Weaver, Legion Sports Committee Chairman and Dominion Vice President. “It’s good to see so many athletes back competing after the pandemic hiatus and we’re looking forward to hearing about new records set, and new memories made!”
This is the 44th 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 80th anniversary of the Battle of Dieppe. Because of lost ground in Europe, the Allies launched a multi-pronged raid on August 19, 1942 – with Canada contributing the most troops from any country.
“Over 900 Canadian troops lost their lives and over 3,300 were recorded as casualties,” says Bruce Julian, Dominion President. “This reality is an undercurrent of the Legion Nationals this year – and a reminder of the great opportunities that the sacrifices at Dieppe brought us all.” The medals that will be won by athletes were designed to reflect this anniversary theme.
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 Ontario and Newfoundland are represented this year by 253 competitors; and there are 393 Open athletes.
The Legion thanks 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 Games for two years, so the 2023 Games will once again take place in Sherbrooke Quebec, and the 2024 and 2025 Games will be held in Calgary, Alberta.
Competition results:
Follow daily: Daily results
Watch more: Athletics Canada
Learn more and for schedule:
www.legionnationals.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LegionNationals/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legionnationals/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegionNationals
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., Europe, and Mexico. 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 – 343-540-7604
Legion.ca
Facebook.com/CanadianLegion
Twitter.com/RoyalCdnLegion
Instagram.com/royalcanadianlegion
youtube.com/user/RCLDominionCommand
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
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