Saultbie to accompany Canadian Olympic team to Beijing

Sault Ste. Marie's Mathieu Gentès was named today as a member of the support staff that will accompany Canada's track and field team to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Gentès will serve as media and communications manager.

Here's the official Athletics Canada news release:

************************* Athletics Canada names Olympic Games staff

OTTAWA – (March 11) - Athletics Canada announced today the staff which will accompany the athletics team to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

While Chief High Performance Officer Martin Goulet will oversee the project, the team will be led in Beijing by Head Coach Les Gramantik.

Gramantik was an event coach in Athens at the last Olympic Games (in 2004), more recently he led the Canadian athletics team to 12 medals at the 2007 Pan American Games, two medals at the 2007 World Championships and one medal this past weekend at the World Indoor Championships.

Athletics Canada’s Olympic trials will take place in Windsor, Ontario, from July 3 to 6.

The team will then be officially announced on the morning of July 7.

Athletics Canada Olympic Games staff

Coaching staff

- Martin Goulet - team leader - Brossard, QC.

- Les Gramantik - head coach - Calgary, AB.

- Derek Evely - event coach - Edmonton, AB.

- Brent Fougner - event coach - Victoria, BC.

- Glenroy Gilbert - event coach - Ottawa, ON.

- Carla Nicholls - event coach - Regina, SK.

Integrated support team (IST) and management

- Alvin Bodnarchuk - massage therapist - Saskatoon, SK.

- Garfield Crooks - massage therapist - Brampton, ON.

- Mathieu Gentès - media and communications - Sault Ste. Marie, ON.

- Wilbour Kelsick - chiropractor - Port Moody, BC.

- Marilou Lamy - head therapist - Vancouver, BC.

- Scott MacDonald - technical manager - Nepean, ON.

- Gerry Ramogida - chiropractor - Aldergrove, BC.

- Ingrid Ruys-George - village manager - Victoria, BC.

- Trent Stellingwerff - exercise physiology/ performance nutrition expert - Guelph. ON.

- Dr. Alan Vernec - team doctor - Montreal, QC.

Head of delegation

- Joanne Mortimore - head of delegation/ CEO - Ottawa, ON.

- Jean-Guy Ouellette - head of delegation/ chairman of the board - Sherbrooke, QC.

Athletics Canada is the national sport governing body for the sport of track and field, cross-country running, road running and road racing.

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