Team Canada athletes celebrate qualifying for Rio 2016
Qualifying for the Olympics is a big deal.
Check out what some of Team Canada’s athletes posted on social media when they realized they had qualified for Rio 2016.
Maxim Bouchard
Maxim Bouchard was named to Canada’s diving team by ranking sixth overall in the FINA World Series. Bouchard will be competing in the 10m diving competition.
RELATED: Canada’s diving team nominations announced
Ryan Cochrane
Games veteran Ryan Cochrane will be leading a team of 26 swimmers. Cochrane previously competed in Beijing 2008 where he won bronze and in London 2012 where he won silver in 1500m freestyle. He’ll be going for gold during Rio.
Joseph Polossifakis
Joseph Polossifakis has qualified for his first games and is headed to Rio 2016 for fencing. Polossifakis has had a very successful 2015 year, winning silver at the Pan Am Games and placing 5th overall in the Pan American Championships. He recently won gold at the Fencing Federation Event in London.
RELATED: Team Canada athletes nominated to Rio 2016
Nichelle Prince
Nichelle Prince has been named to the national women’s soccer team and will be competing in her first Games. Prince was named to the TO2015 team but was unable to compete due to injury. The team won a historic bronze medal in London 2012 and will be looking to better that in Rio.
RELATED: Sinclair leads women’s soccer team into Rio
Kirsten Sweetland
Kirsten Sweetland will be headed to Rio to compete in triathlon. This is Sweetland’s debut Games as she fell short of qualifying for both Beijing and London. Sweetland will be leading a young team of triathletes who will also be making their debuts at Rio 2016.
RELATED: Canada’s triathlon team full of first-time Olympians
Tory Nyhaug
Tory Nyhaug is headed to his second Games after competing in BMX racing in London 2012. Nyhaug opened his 2016 season with three straight time trial wins at the first three World Cup events and is ready to take the stage at Rio.
Sergio Pessoa
Sergio Pessoa is a second-generation Olympian returning to the Games for judo. Pessoa competed in London 2012, placing 17th, which came after winning silver at the 2012 Pan American Championships. In 2015 he won silver at the Asian Open Taipei World Cup and recently won silver at the the 2016 Pan American Championships.
RELATED: Valois-Fortier headlines Canadian Olympic judo roster
Tim Schrijver
Tim Schrijver will be making his Olympic debut this year, taking part in the men’s coxless four alongside Kai Langerfeld and Olympic veterans Conlin McCabe and Will Crothers. Schrijver has been a dominant force during his career, helping Canada win gold during TO2015 for the four and eight men boats. Schrijver did not compete in the World Cup this year in order to preserve himself for Rio 2016.
Melanie McCann
Melanie McCann will be headed to her second Olympics for modern pentathlon. McCann placed 11th during London 2012, which is the best-ever Olympic result by a Canadian modern pentathlete.
Tyler Mislawchuck
Triathlete Tyler Mislawchuck will be headed to his first Olympic Games. After taking two 10th finish places in his first three World Triathlon Series starts in 2016, Mislawchuck is ready to take on Rio.
Erica Wiebe
2014 Commonwealth Games champion Erica Wiebe has qualified for Rio 2016 and will competing in 75 kg wrestling. Wiebe will be going to Rio with a full team of six women wrestlers. Canada is the first country to qualify a full women’s team.
