Looking for a reason to get excited about the Tokyo Olympics.
Try cheering on these Burnaby athletes.
The City of Burnaby posted something on its website Friday encouraging the entire community to support four hometown athletes who will be competing in the 2020 Tokyo Games over the next few weeks.
Burnaby will be represented at the Olympic Games, with Hau-Li Fan (open water swimming), Gabriel Ho-Garcia (field hockey) Christine Sinclair (soccer) and Kristen Tsai (badminton) set to compete for Canada.
“Reaching the Olympic stage is an incredible achievement, and we’re so proud of these four athletes who will be representing our community on the world stage,” said Mayor Mike Hurley. “Regardless of their results, they have already inspired another generation of Burnaby athletes. We wish them, and the rest of Team Canada, the best of luck at the Olympic Games.”
Tsai, 26, has shown perseverance and dedication in her Olympic journey. She suffered a major injury in 2014, which kept her off the court for three years. She returned from injury to become a three-time Pan American champion. Tokyo will be her very first Olympic Games.
Fan, 23, is also competing in his first Olympics. Fan will compete in the 10km open water event in Tokyo, the ultimate endurance test in aquatic sport. He won two bronze medals in FINA World Cup events, and qualified to go to Tokyo this past June.
Ho-Garcia, 28, will be competing in his second Olympic Games. He is a true veteran for Team Canada, having appeared in more than 130 games for the senior national field hockey team. He played an instrumental role in helping Canada qualify for the 2020 Games, the first time Canada has qualified for back-to-back Olympics in men’s field hockey since the 1980s.
Sinclair, 38, has already made her mark at these games, having scored Canada’s goal in their opening match 1-1 tie against Japan on July 21. It was her 187th international goal, the most of any player – male or female. The match was also her 300th game as a member of the Canadian national team.
The 2020 Tokyo Games will take place from July 21 to August 8.
