Athletics Canada nominates five more to Olympic Games team

OTTAWA - Athletics Canada announced five additional nominees today to the 2012 Olympic Games team. Daundre Barnaby of Brampton, Ont., Aaron Brown of Toronto, Ont., Tremaine Harris of Markham, Ont., Kerri-Ann Mitchell of Pickering, Ont., and Sheila Reid of Newmarket, Ont., were nominated to the Canadian Olympic Committee for inclusion on the 2012 Olympic Games team.  This brings the total nominees to the Olympic Games team by Athletics Canada to 45, the largest in recent history.   

Daundre Barnaby will compete in the 400-metres; he was on Athletics Canada's original nomination list but was held back as he didn't yet have a Canadian passport.  His final nomination was pending acquiring a Canadian passport which he has now done.

Aaron Brown submitted an appeal for Rising Star consideration in light of a minor injury that kept him from running at full capacity in the 100-metres at the Canadian Track and Field Trials, and forced him to scratch from the 200-metres.  Aaron is only 20-years old, has a history of international success and over the course of the season ran one Olympic A standard in the 100-metres and two in the 200-metres.  The National Team Committee was comfortable in nominating him in the 200-metres as a "truly exceptional" Rising Star pending the completion of a competitive readiness test which will be determined by Head Coach Alex Gardiner and relay / sprints coach Glenroy Gilbert.  This readiness test will consist of a 200-metre race in Ottawa at the Ontario Senior Track and Field Championships this weekend.

Tremaine Harris was nominated by the National Team Committee in the 200-metres as a Rising Star under the "truly exceptional circumstances" clause following his outstanding performances at the NACAC under-23 Championship.  Harris won the Canadian Track and Field Trials as a 20 year old, ran two Olympic A standards at the NACAC U-23 Championship, including posting a time of 20.22 seconds which ranks him ninth in the World, and third all-time amongst Canadian athletes. Harris also had the required two B standards within the Qualifying period. 

Kerri-Ann Mitchell was added to the team as a result of Phylicia George of Markham, Ont., scratching out of the 100-metres in London to concentrate on the 100-metre hurdles.  This opened a spot for Mitchell to be named under Athletics Canada's Rising Star policy as she met all stated requirements.

Sheila Reid submitted an appeal for Rising Star consideration based on winning the Canadian Track and Field Trials in the 5000-metres and having an Olympic B standard in the event.  Sheila also has two Olympic B standards in the 1500-metres.  Reid was the national champion in the 1500-metres in 2011 and is a five time NCAA champion demonstrating her ability to compete on demand in championship races.  The National Team Committee was willing to nominate her in the 5000-metres pending a competitive readiness test which she successfully completed earlier this week.   

Complete Athletics Canada Olympic team nomination list 

-AC- 

Mathieu Gentès
Director, Corporate Services & Public Relations 
Athletics Canada
(613) 868-7692  

[email protected]   

Robyn Woods 
Assistant, Communications & Events
Athletics Canada 
(613) 282-1716

[email protected]