April 28, 2011 (Montréal, QC) – Pierre Bibeau, Senior Corporate Vice‑President, Communications and Public Affairs at Loto‑Québec, announced that Loto‑Québec will renew its partnership with the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence. He also revealed the names of the 15 athletes who shared $42,000 in bursaries awarded through Loto‑Québec’s 2011 program. The presentation was held at the Claude‑Robillard Sports Centre in Loto‑Québec’s Zone d’essais sportifs as part of Défi sportif, of which Loto‑Québec is a gold‑level sponsor.

Loto‑Québec is particularly pleased to present the 15 recipients who were all nominated by their sporting federation. The objective of Loto‑Québec’s bursary program, which is now in its fourth year, is to support handicapped athletes in their quest for excellence on provincial, national and international scenes. “Loto‑Quebec is pleased to present these 15 fine athletes. Their success in sports is an excellent example of personal achievement and a source of inspiration to all,” Mr. Bibeau said.

The bursary program is managed by the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence in cooperation with various sports federations and associations that govern sports for handicapped athletes (see table of bursary recipients below).

Among the 15 recipients in the 2011 program, 9 were ranked Excellence by their respective sports federations, earning them a $3,000 bursary, 4 were ranked Elite and also received a cheque for $3,000 and two were in the Hopeful category and received $1,500.

Among awarded athletes, some are newcomers and others have performed on the international level, including three para‑cyclists, Geneviève Ouellet, bronze medallist at the road race and tandem time trial events at the 2010 World Para‑Cycling Championship; Daniel Chalifour, fourth in tandem time trial competition at the 2010 World Para‑Cycling Championship; and Marie‑Claude Molnar, silver medallist in the women’s 3‑km pursuit in the 2011 Para‑Cycling Track World Championships. Twin brothers Jonathan and Philippe Vermette finished eighth at the 2009 U‑23 World Wheelchair Basketball Championship; Simon Gagnon‑Brassard won the silver medal in road race cycling at the 2009 Deaflympic Games; and Simon Tremblay, a blind athlete, finished ninth at the 2010 World Goalball Championship.

Claude Chagnon, President of the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence, is pleased with Loto‑Québec’s decision to renew the partnership: “These athletes are true models of perseverance for their peers and the entire Quebec community. Loto‑Québec’s investment will enable the Foundation to meet its objectives, that is to say increase the number of bursaries awarded to handicapped athletes.”

Here are the 15 recipients of Loto‑Québec’s 2011 bursary program

AQSPC – Association québécoise de sports pour paralytiques cérébraux
ASSQ – Association sportive des sourds du Québec
AQSFR – Association québécoise des sports en fauteuil roulant
FQSC – Fédération québécoise des sports cyclistes
ASAQ – Association sportive des aveugles du Québec

Name – Discipline (federation) – Amount – Category – City of origin

– Josée Lamothe – Boccia (AQSPC) – $1,500 – Hopeful – Trois-Rivières
– Andréanne Ouellet-Gagnon – Volley-ball (ASSQ) – $1,500 – Hopeful – Québec City
– Philippe Bédard – Wheelchair tennis (AQSFR) – $3,000 – Elite – Verdun
– Alexandre Carrier – Para-cycling (FQSC) – $3,000 – Elite – Matane
– Charles Leclerc – Wheelchair rugby (AQSFR) – $3,000 – Elite – Montréal
– Geneviève Savard – Volley-ball (ASSQ) – $3,000 – Elite – Montréal
– François Bourbonnière – Boccia (AQSPC) – $3,000 – Excellence – Montréal
– Daniel Chalifour – Para-cycling (FQSC) – $3,000 – Excellence – Lac-des-Écorces
– Simon Gagnon-Brassard – Cycling (FQSC) – $3,000 – Excellence – Chicoutimi
– Maude Jacques – Wheelchair basketball (AQSFR) – $3,000 – Excellence – Ste-Catherine
– Marie-Claude Molnar – Para-cycling (FQSC) – $3,000 – Excellence – Sainte-Adèle
– Geneviève Ouellet – Para-cycling (FQSC) – $3,000 – Excellence – Amos
– Simon Tremblay – Goalball (ASAQ) – $3,000 – Excellence – Québec City
– Jonathan Vermette – Wheelchair basketball (AQSFR) – $3,000 – Excellence – Sherbrooke
– Philippe Vermette – Wheelchair basketball (AQSFR) – $3,000 – Excellence – Sherbrooke