Montreal, November 18, 2016 – To celebrate and encourage work towards excellence, Judo Canada is proud to announce the names of its 2016-2017 bursary recipients. Two different bursaries were awarded; three judokas received a $5000 bursary for the first year of the National Training Centre (NTC) Transfer Bursary, and three others received a $1500 Brad Farrow Bursary.

Judo Canada has created a new bursary this season, which encourages athletes to transfer to the NTC. This financial assistance is possible due to a partnership with provincial judo federations in British Columbia and Ontario.

“The goal is to encourage collaboration between Judo Canada and provincial associations, and to promote athlete growth to the high-performance level,” explained Nicolas Gill, Judo Canada’s Chief Executive Office/High Performance Director.

The bursary recipients for this new program are: Lavana Laass (B.C.), Bradley Langlois (ON), and Jessica Klimkait (ON). To qualify for the program, candidates must participate in a training program at a regional training centre and then continue their training at the National Training Centre in Montreal.

Bradley Langlois, who won a bronze medal at the European Open in Glasgow, Scotland this past October, was grateful to receive the bursary. “I had to move in order to progress in terms of higher quality training, training partners, and coaches. I could only do that with the help I received from this bursary. It was essential to me, because it was the only way that I could get to where I am now. My parents and my coaches at home worked really hard to support me financially in terms of my sport and travelling to competitions, but to get to the next level, I needed some help,” commented Langlois.

The Brad Farrow Bursary

The Brad Farrow Bursary is named after an athlete who made his mark on judo across Canada throughout his career, and the bursary is open only to athletes from the National Training Centre who study full-time and demonstrate determination and commitment to their sport. In this, the bursary’s seventh year, Maxim Côté, François Gauthier-Drapeau, and Alex Marineau were honoured. The bursary will be a definite asset to these athletes who are currently striving towards selection for the Junior World Championships in October 2017.

“Brad Farrow is a former judoka who holds the record of most national titles earned – a record of 11 that remains to this day. He was a model athlete and continues to contribute to Canadian judo in an exemplary manner, thanks to his generosity over the past seven years,” explained Gill.

For Maxime Côté, the bursary is additional motivation, “This funding will help me participate in international tournaments, and will relieve a financial burden from my father. It really motivates me to train even harder!” enthused Côté.

-30-

Written by Sportcom for Judo Canada
Information: 514-990-0966 | 1-866-990-0966