When the Olympic Games get underway in Athens this weekend, British Columbians will have more than a few of their own to cheer on.
Although Team Canada will be smaller this year only 266 athletes in 2004 compared to 311 in 2000 39 per cent of the athletes will be from British Columbia. B.C. athletes will also be competing in 27 of 30 Olympic sports.
In addition, B.C. athletes make up 24 per cent of the Paralympic Team this year.
All told B.C. sent more than 200 people to Athens, including athletes, coaches and officials the most ever for the province.
Still, the team selection was not without controversies.
First of all, there was the Canadian Olympic Committees decision to cut back on the number of the athletes making the Games. In previous years you had to have a top-16 ranking or world championship result to get a green light for the Games. This year, in a move to increasing funding and support for athletes that the COC says have the best chance of winning medals, only a top-12 result or ranking would suffice.
As a result Canada is sending its smallest team to the Olympics in 32 years. In 2000 Canada won a disappointing 14 medals, and the COC hopes to improve on that this year.
Athletes who missed the top-12 cut are miffed by the COCs decision to cut the size of the team. Not only did they feel that they should have been given notice earlier, they also pointed out that top-16 results are generally good enough for Commonwealth Games, PanAm Games, World Championship qualification and acceptance into Sport Canadas own Athletes Assistance Program.
They also feel that the restrictions will take a lot of promising up and coming athletes out of the picture. Beckie Scott, who was recently awarded the Olympic gold medal for cross-country skiing, was not even in the top-16 when she went to the Salt Lake Games.
Two boxers in the top-16 successfully appealed the decision and were named to the team after an independent arbitrator found that they were not informed of the rule change early enough to give them a chance of meeting the new criteria.
Another source of controversy this year was the decision to name Montreals Nicolas Gill, a judo fighter with two Olympic medals in three Olympic appearances and three world championships to his name, as Canadas flag bearer. It turns out that Gill, who is recovering from a ligament injury to his knee, voted for Quebec sovereignty back in 1995, and made comments that he feels "more like a Quebecer than I do a Canadian" and would like to carry the Fleur-de-lis at sporting events. He also said, on record, that "I dont really compete for Canada, I compete for myself."
In this Olympics the closest Whistler connection is Courtneys Kiara Bisaro, a mountain biker who lived in Whistler for several years before moving to Vancouver Island to train year-round. Alison Sydor and Ryder Hesjedal both ride in Whistler regularly, participating in races like the Cheakamus Challenge.
B.C. Athletes in Athens
Athletics
Diane Cummins 800 metre
Emilie Mondor 5,000 metre
Stephanie McCann Pole Vault
Gary Reed 800 metre
Badminton
Anna Rice Womens Doubles
Canoe / Kayak
David Ford Mens K-1 Slalom
James Cartwright Mens C-1 Slalom
Margaret Langford Womens K-1 Slalom
Kamini Jain Womens K-4 500 metre
Cycling
Manon Jutras Womens Road Race
Alison Sydor and Kiara Bisaro Womens Mountain Bike
Ryder Hesjedal and Seamus McGrath Mens Mountain Bike
Gymnastics
Gael Mackie Womens Team Competition, Individual All-Around, Beam, Floor, Uneven Bars and Vault
Kate Richardson Womens Team Competition, Individual All-Around, Beam, Floor, Uneven Bars and Vault
Ken Ikeda Mens Team Competition, All-Around, Floor, Horizontal Bars, Parallel Bars, Pommel Horse, Rings and Vault
Modern Pentathlon
Monica Pinette Womens Individual
Rowing
Scott Frandsen, Kevin Light, Ben Rutledge, Kyle Hamilton, Adam Kreek, Andrew Hoskins, Joe Stankevicius, Jeff Powell and Brian Price Mens Eight
Barney Williams, Jake Wetzel, Tom Herschmiller, and Cam Baerg Mens Four
Dave Calder and Chris Jarvis Mens Pair
Jon Beare, Jon Mandick, Iain Brambell and Gavin Hassett Mens Lightweight Four
Fiona Milne and Mara Jones Womens Lightweight Double
Buffy Williams and Darcy Marquardt Womens Pair
Sarah Pape, Karen Clark, Roslyn McLeod, Andreanne Morin, Jacqui Cook, Pauline Van Roessel, Anna-Marie de Zwager (with Romina Stefancic and Sabrina Koker) Womens Eight
Sailing
Nikola Girke Womens 470
Ross MacDonald Mens Star
Softball
Alison Bradley, Angela Lichty, Auburn Sigurdson, Cindy Eadie, Erin Cumpstone, Erin White, Jackie Lance, Kaila Holtz, Kim Sarrazin, Kristy Odamura, Rachel Schill and Sasha Olson
Swimming
Brent Hayden 100m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle, 4X100m Freestyle, 4X200m Freestyle, 4X100m Medley
Brian Johns 200m Individual Medley, 400m Individual Medley, 4X200m Freestyle
Brittany Reimer 200m Freestyle, 400m Freestyle, 800m Freestyle
Mark Johnston 400m Freestyle, 4X200m Freestyle
Mike Mintenko 100m Butterfly, 4X100m Freestyle, 4X200m Freestyle, 4X100m Medley
Rick Say 100m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle, 4X100m Freestyle, 4X200m Freestyle
Scott Dickens 100m Breaststroke, 4X100m Medley
Riley Janes 100m Backstroke, 4X100m Medley, 4X100m Freestyle
Taekwondo
Ivett Gonda Womens Under 49kg
Triathlon
Sam McGlone and Carol Montgomery Womens Triathlon
Simon Whitfield and Brent McMahon Mens Triathlon
Water Polo
Rachel Riddell and Sue Gardiner Womens Team
Wrestling
Daniel Igali Mens Freestyle 79kg
Lyndsay Belisle Womens Freestyle 48kg