Two Islanders Named to Team Canada’s Training Team for the 2017 Special Olympics World Games

Charlottetown, PEI, May 3, 2016 – It is an exciting day for two Island Special Olympics athletes. Following strong finishes at the 2016 Special Olympics National Winter Games held last month in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Janet Charchuk, Alberton, and Alyssa Chapman, Murray Harbour, have been named to Team Canada’s Training Team for the 2017 Special Olympics World Games.

Janet Charchuk, Alberton, has been involved with Special Olympics for 18 years. In addition to Snowshoeing, Charchuk is an avid participant in local Bowling, Bocce, and Golf programs.  Charchuk has represented PEI at 2 National Games, competing in Swimming and Snowshoe. Additionally, Charchuk made history in 2001 when she competed in swimming at the first Canada Games in which Special Olympics was included. She went on to represent PEI again at the Canada Games in 2005. This will be Charchuk’s first World Games.

Alyssa Chapman, Murray Harbour, has been involved with Special Olympics for 14 years.  Chapman has attended 6 National Games, competing in Swimming and Soccer along with Figure Skating. Additionally, Chapman has competed in 6 Canada Games in Swimming and Figure Skating. Chapman is no stranger to this level of competition, having competed at the 2013 Special Olympics World Games in South Korea.

Special Olympics PEI has also announced two training coaches – Donna Campbell, O’Leary, for Snowshoeing and Jessica Godfrey, Charlottetown, for Figure Skating. Campbell and Godfrey will help train Charchuk and Chapman in their local communities, working closely with their Team Canada Coaches from across the country. Additionally, Campbell and Godfrey will accompany Charchuk and Chapman to Team Canada Training Camps later this Spring.  Charchuk and Campbell will attend the Team Canada Snowshoe Training Camp May 12-15 while Chapman and Godfrey will attend the Team Canada Figure Skating Training Camp May 19-22. Both training camps will be held at Teen Ranch in Caledon, Ontario.

The 2017 Special Olympics World Games will be held in Graz and Ramsau, Austria from March 14-25, 2017. Charchuk and Chapman will join a Canadian contingent composed of 112 athletes, supported by 41 coaches, mission staff and support staff.

For more information about the 2017 Special Olympics World Games, please visit http://www.austria2017.org/en/.