The Canadian Paralympic Committee has launched an awareness campaign ahead of Rio 2016 ©CPC

An awareness campaign entitled the “ParaTough Training Series” has been launched by the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) ahead of Rio 2016.

The initiative, established in conjunction with advertising agency BBDO Canada, includes the first workout series led entirely by Canadian Paralympians.

It features 14 Rio 2016-bound Paralympians from the country showcasing five challenging workouts and the campaign has called on fans of the team to try and follow along.

Supporters have been encouraged to undertake the exercises as demonstrated by the range of competitors from the nation before posting a video or picture on social media, accompanied by the hashtag #ParaToughChallenge.

Fans are also invited to make a small donation of CAD$5 (£3/$4/€3.50) to the CPC once they have tried one of the workouts.

Canadian athletes in wheelchair basketball, swimming, wheelchair rugby, cycling and athletics all feature in the workout videos.

Wheelchair basketball players Jamey Jewells, Cindy Ouellet, Nik Goncin and Katie Harnock lead a session on upper body power training, while swimmers Benoît Huot and Aurélie Rivard conduct a core stability session.

Zak Madell, Cody Caldwell, Trevor Hirschfeld, Miranda Biletski and Patrice Dagenais, who are all due to represent Canada in the wheelchair rugby at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, feature in an explosive strength training video and Para-cyclist Ross Wilson takes people through a high intensity cardio workout.

Para-athletes Becky Richter and Pam LeJean lead a resistance training session.

“The amazing thing about these videos is they show the hard work that happens off the field of play,” CPC executive director of marketing and communications Martin Richard said.

“The training series offer an incredibly challenging full-body workout.

“We know the ParaTough Training Series will show people just how amazing our Canadian Paralympians are and inspire fans to cheer on the Canadian Paralympic Team as they compete in Rio in September.”

The “ParaTough Training Series” will be featured on several platforms in Canada, such as television, radio, print and digital, and has its own website, available here, which houses all of the workout videos.

Around 160 athletes, who are set to compete in 19 sports, are expected to form the Canadian Paralympic team for the Games in Rio de Janeiro, which run from September 7 to 18.