Justin Karn, bronze medallist at the Guadalajara 2011 Parapan Am Games, is one of four athletes set to compete in front of a home crowd in the visually impaired judo, which will be held at the 5,500-capacity Mississauga Sports Centre.

Karn is fresh from competing at the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA) World Judo Championships in South Korea’s capital city Seoul, where he placed seventh in the under 60 kilogram event, but is now aiming to add to his medal of four years ago in Ontario’s biggest city.

Tony Walby, who like Karn earned bronze at the 2011 Parapan Am Games before competing at the London 2012 Paralympics, is due to compete in the over 100kg division, while Alexander Radoman will represent Canada in the under 90kg event.

Priscilla Gagné will be the only female representative on the team and recently joined Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper and boccia player Marco Dispaltro at the Seventh Summit of the Americas in Panama City, Panama, which saw Gagné and Dispaltro promoting the 2015 Parapan Am Games at a reception.

“The judo team may be small in numbers, but is mighty in athletic performance and personality,” said Elisabeth Walker-Young, Canada’s Chef de Mission.

“As Chef de Mission, every athlete selected brings a smile to my face.

“Welcome to the team Justin, Tony, Alex and Priscilla.

With Canada aiming to finish in the top three of the overall medals table each medal with prove crucial to achieving that ambition, but the judo athletes will also have crucial Rio 2016 Paralympic qualification in their minds at the Games.

“Our performance objective for the 2015 Parapan Am Games is place on the podium for each of the Canadians with a stretch goal of two gold medals”, said Sadej, coach of the visually impaired judo team.

“The Toronto 2015 Parapan Am Games is a very important competition for the judo squad as it serves as a qualifier for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Three of the four Canadians are now ranked within the selection zone, so reaching our performance objectives in Toronto will solidify their chances to qualify.”

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