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450.371.8051 • 1.877.371.8051 December 5 2018 ı Vol. 21 No.6

Pan Am Games
Douglas Vandor
THE TWO-TIMES OLYMPIC ROWER NAMED

CHEF DE MISSION

The two-time Olympic rower from "It's crazy, there's 423 events over 39
Dewittville, Que., has been named Canada's sports . . . a lot of sports," Vandor said from
chef de mission at this summer's Pan Vancouver on Monday.
American Games in Lima, Peru. And with 39
sports — six more than the 2020 Tokyo The 44-year-old rowed in men's light-
Olympics — Vandor will be on the go for the weight double sculls at the Beijing Games in
majority of the July 26-Aug. 11 Games. 2008 and in London in 2012. He's never
competed in a Pan Am Games, as the dates
always conflicted with rowing's World Cup
schedule.

Vandor does have Pan Am experience
however, as the media attache for the
rowing and boxing teams at the 2015 Pan
American Games in Toronto. He's reached
out to former cyclist Curt Harnett, who was
Canada's chef — or team manager — at
both the Toronto Pan Ams and the 2016 actually compete in Tokyo in that spot is Since retiring, he's remained active in sports.
Rio Olympics. determined later. In some sports such as He worked as an athlete services officer at
track and field, the Pan Am Games is an the 2014 Sochi Olympics, and founded
"But from my point of view, the athletes opportunity to achieve an Olympic qualify- "Follow Your Dream Run," a non-profit
come first and that's how I'll prioritize the ing standard. organization designed to raise money for
days. It's about the athletes, it's their physical education programs in local schools
moment on the world stage, and that's The Games are also a chance for athletes in his hometown.
going to be first and foremost." to gain experience in a multi-sport environ-
ment before Tokyo. The Games are also the He's also worked with athletes through
The Pan American Games are a key part of biggest stage for several non-Olympic the RBC Olympians Mentorship Matching
the Olympic qualifying process for as many sports such as bowling, squash, water skiing Program.
as 23 sports, some of them directly such as and wakeboard.
field hockey and water polo — win and The Pan Am Games bring together 6,700
you're in — and some indirectly. In some Vandor rowed for Canada for more than a athletes from 41 countries of the Americas,
sports, athletes can win an Olympic quota decade, capturing eight World Cup medals and feature 62 disciplines in 39 sports. nCP
spot for their sport, but the athlete who will and three world championship medals.