The Government of Saskatchewan congratulates the Saskatchewan athletes who will compete in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. Seven athletes from our province qualified to compete.
These athletes are Kaylyn Kyle (soccer, Saskatoon), Cory Niefer (shooting-Air Rifle, Saskatoon), Kelly Parker (soccer, Saskatoon), Krista Phillips (basketball, Saskatoon), Reuben Ross (diving, Pilot Butte), Brianne Theisen (heptathlon, Humboldt) and Rachelle Viinberg (rowing, Regina).
Government and its partner, Sask Sport Inc., are proud to support Saskatchewan's Olympic athletes including four who qualified for the Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence.
Sask Sport invests up to $350,000 per year in the Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence, established in 2010 to financially support our province's elite athletes. Competitors who qualify can receive up to $6,000 per year to help cover a variety of expenses including standard living costs, training expenses, equipment, competition and training camp costs, as well as education expenses.
Since its inception, the program has provided $399,000 in funding to support 67 athletes in 29 different sports.
Kyle, 24, from Saskatoon, is a mid-fielder who will play on the Canadian Olympic Women's soccer team in London.
"I cannot put into words how extremely honoured I am to not only represent Canada, but my home province of Saskatchewan," Kyle said. "I sincerely owe everything to the province of Saskatchewan, not only for everyone's support, but the funding they have given me to allow me to achieve one of my biggest goals, to play in the Olympics Games. So for that, thank-you. Cheer loud and support us while we take on other countries on the biggest stage, to achieve one goal: gold!"
