Yestrau, Gorup-Paul Receive Prestigious Canada Games Awards

MONTREAL, Canada, July 28. DURING an announcement at the Pan Pacific Swimming Trials Friday, the Canada Games Council awarded the 2005 Canada Summer Games Roland Michener Awards to swimmer Landice Yestrau and diver Wegadesk Gorup-Paul. Unfortunately, due to illness, Gorup-Paul could not be present to accept his award. In his stead, Bev Boys, Executive Director of Dive BC, 34-time national diving champion, and three-time Olympian, accepted the award on his behalf. The award was presented by Minister Olga Ilich, the British Columbia Minister of Tourism, Sport and the Arts, at the Opening Ceremony of the 2006 BC Summer Games in Kamloops.

The Roland Michener award is presented every two years to two Canada Games athletes, one male and one female, who exemplify strong leadership skills on and off the playing field, combined with an ongoing commitment to scholastic and athletic excellence. While the athletes’ performance at the Canada Games is taken into consideration, the selection committee also looks at other factors such as cooperation, attitude, and effort.

Yestrau swam in nine events at the 2005 Canada Summer Games, where she was also flag bearer for Team Manitoba at the Opening Ceremony. She made the finals in eight of her events, and won gold medals in her two specialties, the 50m and 100m backstroke, establishing new Canada Games records in both events.

Yestrau is a member of the Canadian National Swimming Team. She also swims with the Bisons, while completing a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Manitoba. The swimmer was valedictorian at her High School graduation in 2005, and she has won numerous awards for both academic excellence and achievements in sport.

“It is a great honor for me to receive such a prestigious award,” Yestrau said. “It’s very exciting to be recognized for my achievements both inside and outside the pool. I’m very proud to represent my club and the Province of Manitoba and so grateful of the support they have given me over the years.”

Gorup-Paul competed in the 2005 FINA World Aquatics Championships before going to Regina to compete in the Canada Summer Games. In Regina, he captured gold in his one and only event, the platform. He also established a new Canada Games Record, becoming the first diver ever to break the 600 point mark at a Canada Games. Wegadesk also carried the Team BC flag in the Closing Ceremony of the 2005 Canada Games.

Gorup-Paul is a member of the National Senior Diving Team. He became the Senior National Champion at only 17 years of age. Before coming to the Canada Games, Wegadesk participated twice in the BC Summer Games, in 2000 and 2002. The young diver works with the First Nations Education Society as a role model to help keep First Nations youth in schools.

"The Canada Games was an essential experience in preparing me for other major Games like the Commonwealth Games this year and my Olympic goals in 2008”, Gorup-Paul said. “Diving has been the biggest positive influence in my life and has taught me amazing life skills like discipline, time management, commitment and responsibility, and fair play that will be with me always. I hope I can help all Canadians understand that sport is more than a game – it improves your life. Something Roland Michener obviously must have thought as well given his commitment to the sporting community."

Both recipients represented Canada in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, and are hoping to eventually be part of a Canadian Olympic Team.

The Roland Michener award was created in February 1992 to recognize the valuable contribution that the late Right Honourable Roland Michener made to Canada, in particular to sport and physical activity in Canada.

“Roland Michener was a great motivator of Canadian youth and he encouraged them to be part of Canada’s great future by achieving their full potential,” Larry Smith, Chairman, Canada Games Council, said. “Landice and Wegadesk are two outstanding athletes who exemplify the meaning of this award. The Canada Games Council is very proud to recognize them and there is no doubt that we will be hearing a lot more about both of them in the very near future.”

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