Canadian Sport Centre Calgary

ATHLETE RESULTS

MUENZER TAKES HOME TWO MEDALS FROM TRACK CYCLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

ANTWERP, Belgium--Lori-Ann Muenzer of Edmonton claimed a silver medal in the 500-metre time trial at the world track cycling championships in Antwerp, Belgium on Saturday. Coupled with the bronze she won Friday in the individual sprint, Muenzer has outdone her impressive performance at the 2000 worlds, in which she won a silver in the sprint.

Muenzer, Reyes(MEX), Meinke(GER) on the podium for the 500m time trial.(ICU)

The gold went to Mexican Contreras Reyes, whose clocking of 34.996 seconds was the only time under 35 seconds. Muenzer was .159 seconds off the winning pace, following by German Katrin Meinke, who picked up the bronze.

"It was a little disappointing when you look at the margin of victory that the Mexican girl had, but Lori-Ann had a very busy week and this is a great way to cap it off, with another medal," said coach Kurt Innes.

"That was her personal best time, and she did it at the right moment after four very hard days of sprinting in the match sprints."

Calgary's Steen Madsen placed 23rd in the Kierin and did not advance to the finals.

MCNEILL SCORES HAT TRICK, BUT CANADA ELIMINATED FROM WORLD CUP CONTENTION

AMIENS, France (CP) -- Karen MacNeill of Calgary scored a hat trick, all off penalty corners, as Canada beat Kazakhstan 5-1 after a 10-hour delay Saturday at the women's field hockey World Cup qualifying tournament.

The match was originally scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m. local time in Abbeville, France, but heavy rains and delays in other matches forced an initial postponement. As evening loomed, the Canadians and Kazakhs took a bus to Amiens where the game got started at about 8:30 p.m. "We sat in our soaked uniforms for about an hour and a half at one point," said Canadian coach Butch Worth.

Canada's Women's Field Hockey Team

MacNeill struck early in Saturday's game, putting Canada up 1-0 just four minutes in on a penalty corner. Kristen Taunton of Richmond, B.C., and Aoibhinn Grimes of Duncan, B.C., added first-half goals for Canada, which led 3-0 at the half. Kazakhstan's only goal came on a penalty corner which Canadian 'keeper Krista Thompson of Chatham, N.B., couldn't stop 20 minutes into the second half. Emily Rix of Toronto missed a penalty strike one minute after that but MacNeill scored her second of the half four minutes later.

"We started putting away our chances today," said Worth. "We could have had a lot more, too." Although Canada finished out of a World Cup berth, Worth said morale remains high and that his team is looking to finish with a win. "We came here with high expectations and we're disappointed we didn't meet our goals, but we just have to learn," he said.

Canada finished the tournament in 9th place . The squad's bid to qualify for the World Cup ended Thursday with a 2-0 loss to Scotland -bumping them to fifth place and out of contention. Worth said next year's Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England, now become the prime focus for the women's squad.

SPORT SHORTS

WATERSKIING: Jarret Llewellyn of Innisfail, AB won two gold medals at the Water Skiing World Championships in Recetto, Italy over the weekend. Llewellyn also claimed the overall World title with the wins.

MOUNTAIN BIKING: Ex-national team biathlete Tom Zidek of Canmore, AB placed 5th at the 24 hours of Adrenaline solo World Championships held in Idyllwild, California last weekend. Zidek was the top Canadian finisher.

IN THE NEWS...

CANADA'S NATIONAL WOMEN'S TEAM TO FACE SWEDEN IN THREE-GAME TOUR IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

CALGARY, AB - Canada's National Women's Team will face Sweden in a three-game tour that will be played in British Columbia in October, 2001, the Canadian Hockey Association announced on Thursday. (Check out our events page for dates.)

Sweden's National Women's Team has finished fourth at the Women's World Hockey Championship four times in total (2000, 1999, 1992, 1990). Sweden finished 7th at the 2001 World Championship and 5th at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.

"This is a terrific opportunity for the National Women's Team to play in Canada and showcase women's hockey to Canadians in British Columbia," said Danièle Sauvageau, Head Coach of Canada's National Women's Team. "Team Sweden is a young and improving women's hockey nation that will force our players to perform at a high level."

Canada's National Women's Under 22 Team will also be in action in October, in BC, playing the same Swedish National Team.

COACH IN PROFILE

Ozzie Sawicki - Head Coach,
Canadian Disabled Alpine Ski Team

As the changing colours of autumn go through their transition to winter white, the 2002 Canadian Disabled Alpine Ski Team (CDAST) move into the final stages of their Salt Lake Paralympic quest. The CDAST will be assembling for a training camp from October 11 to 18, a camp designed to encourage team preparation for the upcoming year. Organizing the camp is the CDAST Head Coach, Ozzie Sawicki, now in his second year with the team.

Ozzie comes to the CDAST with an abundance of experience having worked with both disabled and able-bodied alpine racing programs starting in 1989. Ozzie's initial involvement in the sport was with the Alberta Disabled Alpine Ski Team as an assistant coach from 1989-90 and as head coach from 1990-92. During this same period of 1989-92 Ozzie was also coaching various alpine racing programs with the Paskapoo Ski Club, based at Canada Olympic Park. The combination of the two roles allowed him the opportunity to work with a wide range of athletic talent. In 1993, a move to Vancouver led to a coaching role with the Mount Seymour Ski Club for the 1994 season. Following a period of time working in Southeast Asia, Ozzie returned to Canada and Calgary picking up where he had left off, becoming involved with the Sunshine Ski Club from 1997-2000.

In 2001 the opportunity presented itself to once again work with the disabled alpine program, but at the National level. The move to the CDAST is one which Ozzie was very pleased to have made, as it has brought him full circle to return to his coaching roots. He looks forward to a successful 2002 season and believes that Canada enters the season with an exceptional group of athletes that have a great deal of podium potential and will represent us proudly in both the World Cup Tour and the Winter Paralympic Games.

Ozzie is also presently working toward his Level 4 NCCP certification in Alpine through the National Coaching Institute - Calgary. Although a juggling act has evolved in his roles as both a coach and student, as well as his business interests outside of sport, he believes that a solid effort and some strong support from family, friends and mentors will make 2002 an exceptional experience.