Pan Am countdown begins

The Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games celebrated the start of the two year countdown on Wednesday, with ten celebrations throughout the Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario. Officials, fans and athletes gathered in Milton, Ont., to celebrate the countdown with a cycling theme.

Hosted by Olympic and Pan Am track cycling medallist Curt Harnett, the Milton celebration centred around cycling. Milton is the site of the new Velodrome and following the games, will host the offices of Cycling Canada Cyclisme, and the Ontario Cycling Association.

“Milton will be hosting my favourite sport,” said Harnett, to a crowd of over 100 people. “With the efforts being put in place here, this will become the epicentre for cycling success.”

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Presently, the Canadian track cycling team trains on outdoor velodromes in B.C., and travels to Los Angeles to make use of an indoor track in the winter. Once the Pan Am velodrome is complete, Canadians will be able to train at home, in a Canadian venue built to world class standards.

Other speakers included MP Lisa Rait, and MPP Kevin Flynn as well as Milton Mayor Gord Krantz and representatives of the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committe.

Harnett was joined by triathlete Isabelle Turcot Baird and paracyclist Shelley Gauthier, with the latter slated to compete at the Toronto 2015 Games.

Gauthier won the World Championships in 2011, and just weeks later, earned a silver medal at the Guadalajara 2011 Pan Am Games.

Tickets for the Toronto Games will be released in early 2015.

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