BEIRUT, Lebanon, September 29, 2009 - The judoka Sasha Mehmedovic won the gold medal yesterday in the men's 66-kg weight category, while his teammate Amy Cotton was awarded the silver medal in the women's 78-kg class, making it a double success for Team Canada.
The first two Team Canada medallists, both members of the Shidokan Judo Club of Montréal, were awarded the medals in the presence of Jacques Bilodeau, representative La Francophonie.
Sasha Mehmedovic, who placed ninth in the 2008 Olympic Games, trains with Olympic medallist Nicolas Gill and Amy Cotton, a native of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, trains with Sergio Pessoa.
The Games of La Francophonie are an international cultural and sport event for athletes and artists representing the member states and governments of the international Francophonie. These Games are unique in that they are the only international games that feature both cultural and sport competitions. Like athletes, winning artists receive gold, silver, and bronze medals.
Since the first Games of La Francophonie, Canada has sent a delegation composed of three teams: Team Canada, as well as Team Canada-New Brunswick and Team Canada-Quebec. This year, Team Canada boasts nearly 140 artists and athletes.
As part of the 2009 Games, Lebanon is welcoming more than 3000 participants from nearly 50 countries. This will be the highest level of participation since the 2001 Games of La Francophonie, which were held in the Ottawa-Gatineau region in Canada.
For more information on Canada's participation in the VI Games of La Francophonie and the list of Team Canada's results, visit www.gamesoflafrancophonie2009.pch.gc.ca.
Information:
Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
media@pch.gc.ca
