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Surrey's Athlete Ambassadors

Adam Kreek began his rowing career at the age of sixteen on Fanshawe Lake and the Thames River in London, Ontario. He continued rowing at the University of Victoria, where his team won two Canadian University National Championships. Adam transitioned to the Canadian National Team in 2001 and has won dozens of medals besides his 2008 Olympic Gold in Beijing, including the first Grand Challenge Cup and the first World Cup ever for Canadian rowing. He has also been crowned a World Champion three times at the senior level. In addition to being a Right To Play Ambassador, he is a Big Brother with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Victoria. Presently, Adam is starting a small business that brews biodiesel.

Anna Rice - Badminton

Anna Rice is North America’s top female badminton player. Originally from North Vancouver, Anna has been playing professional badminton for more than ten years. After nine seasons of playing in the Danish Pro League, Anna has recently re-settled back to Canada. She is the highest ranked North American singles player and is the reigning Canadian National Champion, as well as the 2009 U.S. Open Champion. She has represented Canada at the international level for over twelve years, including the 2004 Athens Olympics, the 2006 Commonwealth Games, the 2008 Beijing Olympics, as well as several World Championships. Last Spring, Anna traveled to visit Right To Play sport and play programs in Uganda as a RTP Athlete Ambassador.

Beckie Scott - Cross Country Skiing

Beckie Scott retired in 2006 after nearly two decades of competitive cross-country ski racing as Canada’s most successful cross-country skier ever and one of the best in the world. A trailblazer for Nordic sports in Canada, Beckie won two Olympic medals – gold in the 5K pursuit race at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, and a silver medal with teammate Sara Renner in the team sprint event at the 2006 Torino Games. Beckie has also received fifteen World Cup Medals and she was elected to the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame. In May 2006, Beckie traveled to visit Right To Play sport and play programs in Ethiopia as a member of the Right To Play International Athlete Forum.

Ben Rutledge - Rowing

Ben Rutledge grew up in the small town of Cranbrook. He played many different sports including hockey, volleyball, golf and soccer, however it wasn’t until he attended the University of British Columbia that he tried the sport of rowing. Ben’s love for the sport blossomed and three years later he was a member of the 2002 World Champion Canadian Men’s 8+. Ben and his teammates placed fifth at the 2004 Athens Olympics, won the National Championships for the first time in 2006, and in 2007 reclaimed their position at the top of the world by winning the World Championships in the Men’s 8+. Likewise, in 2008 Ben and his team won Olympic Gold at the Beijing Olympics on Lake Shunyi. Today, Ben coaches first year rowers at UBC.

Brittany Timko - Soccer

Brittany Timko is a 23-year-old midfielder and forward soccer player for Piteå IF ladies team and the Canadian Women’s National Soccer Team. The Coquitlam native played for the Vancouver Whitecaps Women where she won two W-League Championships in 2004 and 2006. Brittany also played for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 2003 to 2007. In 2007, she received a bronze medal at the Pan-American Games and she played a total of forty-three times for Canada and scored nine goals. Furthermore, Brittany earned the Adidas Golden Shoe as a top scorer at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship with seven goals in a mere four games. In 2002, Brittany was also honoured in the BC Sports Hall of Fame as one of thirty-five leaders and legends of women in sports.

Carrie Marshall - Softball

Two-time National Champion and member of the National Team for six year, Carrie (Flemmer) Marshall made softball her passion. She has participated in four Canada Cup Tournaments, captured Gold in 1996 and she also qualified for the 1996 Olympic Games. During the 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta her team came in 5th place however, this was the first year Women's Softball was recognized as an Olympic Sport. In 2001, Carrie was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at Centenary College of Louisiana and in 2008 she received the Athlete Inductee to Softball BC Hall of Fame. Currently, Carrie resides in the City of Surrey and is a Real Estate Agent for Royal Lepage.

Chris McElroy - Lacrosse

Chris McElroy is a 26-year-old professional Lacrosse Player. He is captain of the Edmonton Rush and one of five players still on the team that started in the 2008 season, and one of the three left from the original 2006 expansion roster. Chris is also a National Lacrosse League All Star, and Mann Cup Champion. Along with playing with the Rush, Chris is active in the community promoting his team and the sport. He participates in numerous clinics throughout the province of Alberta teaching youth the history of lacrosse and attempting to get more children involved in the sport.

Donovan Tildesley - Swimming

Donovan Tildesley is a 24-year-old Vancouver native. He is an accomplished swimmer, but there’s one more thing you should know about him... Donovan is totally blind and has been since birth. Donavan was born with a condition known as Leiber’s Amaurosis, which left him without retinas. Despite this fact, Donovan joined the national swim team at age sixteen, where he competed in the Sydney 2000 Paralympics, winning a bronze medal in the 200m individual medley. Additional career highlights include five golds and one silver medal at the 2002 IPC World Championships, participating in the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, multiple gold medals at the 2007 Para Pan-American Games, two silvers and one bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Paralympics, and a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. He is a World Record holder in both the 800 and 1500 freestyle and he also had the honour of being Canada’s flag bearer at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.

Gina Grain - Cycling

Gina Grain began her career playing soccer in high school, however switched to cycling after injuring both of her knees. She had her sights set on the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and secured herself and Canada a spot at the Games. Gina joined the number-one ranked Webcor Builders team and ranked tenth in the world in the UCI Women’s Scratch Race. She is a six-time national champion and in 2006 Gina was ranked number-one in the world for scratch race. In addition, at the 2007 Canadian Nationals, Gina placed first in the Road Race category. In 2008, Gina placed ninth at the Olympic Games Point Race and was designated US PRO Track Omnium Champion and the Tour de Gastown Champion. Gina will also be racing for the Webcor Women’s Cycling Team again in 2009.

Jill Savege - Triathlon

Jill Savege is a Canadian triathlete and currently lives and trains in Penticton. In 2003, Jill had an amazing year capturing a number of world circuit titles and winning gold at the Pan-American Games. She was ranked as one of the best in the world, however after a number of injuries she was deprived of her top form. Nonetheless, Jill was a medal contender at the 2004 Summer Olympics and was going in ranked fourth in the world. However, early in the cycling stage of the Olympic triathlon Jill crashed. Due to these injuries she hasn’t been able to compete, but continues to run for pleasure.

Kyle Shewfelt - Gymnastics

Kyle Shewfelt began his record-breaking gymnastics career in 1988. Following his first Olympic experience in Sydney 2000, Kyle won multiple medals at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, a pair of bronze medals at the 2003 World Championships and a series of victories on the World Cup circuit leading up to the 2004 Olympics. Kyle achieved his ultimate goal in 2004 Athens when he captured Canada’s first ever Olympic medal in artistic gymnastics with his Gold medal performance in the floor exercise. During a routine training session at the 2007 World Championships, Kyle suffered a devastating injury, breaking both of his legs after he misjudged a landing. In 2008, Kyle had a successful comeback and was selected to represent Canada in Beijing. In May 2009 Kyle announced he was retiring from competition.

Lori Fung - Gymnastics

Lori Fung began training in 1976 and the following year was competing in the National Championships. Hearing that rhythmic gymnastics would be included in the 1984 Olympics, Lori took her grade 12 courses through correspondence and started training as soon as possible. Lori capped her brilliant career with the distinction of winning the first gold medal ever in rhythmic gymnastics at the 1984 Olympic games. She is a member of the Order of Canada, Order of British Columbia and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. Lori was also awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and is a seven-time Canadian Grand National Champion (1982-1988). Today, Lori is a world-class coach in rhythmic gymnastics at UBC.

Lynn Kanuka - Track & Field

Lynn Kanuka is perhaps best known for her bronze medal performance at the L.A. Olympic Games in 1984. Lynn also held every Canadian record for middle distance from 800m – 10K on the roads and has held the 1500m record since 1985. She also won gold and bronze at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in 300m and 1500m. She is also a Hall of Fame inductee and a recipient of the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award. Currently, Lynn works at SportMedBC as a RunWalk Program Coordinator and continues to inspire people through physical fitness.

Meghan Mutrie - Rugby

Meghan Mutrie’s life has been completely shaped by sport. A member of the 7s and 15s Canadian National Senior Women’s Rugby Teams for 2007 and 2008, she played fullback and wing for Canada in England, Scotland, Wales, USA and Hong Kong. Meghan received a degree in psychology from the University of North Dakota while attending on an ice hockey and soccer scholarship. She also won the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Post-Graduate Scholarship. Meghan was critically injured playing rugby for Canada in England and now represents the Canadian National Senior Women’s Rugby Team as their official media relations officer. As well, she reports on the Canadian men’s rugby team for Rugby Canada TV.

Zac Plavsic - Windsurfing

Zac Plavsic is a twenty-six year old athlete who began windsurfing at the age of seventeen. Since 2000, he has worked hard to become the top ranked North American, and member of the Canadian Sailing Team in Olympic Class Windsurfing. Zac prepared for the 2008 Olympics by training over 300 days a year on and off the water. He is an ambassador of Canada and his goal is to achieve top world status and sail towards a medal in the London 2012 Olympic Summer Games.