A delegation of 26 members of the Canadian Olympic Committee arrived to Lima for a lead’s visit until March 15. The Canadian NOC met with the heads of the Lima 2019 Functional Areas to later visit the main Games competition and accommodation venues.
A total of 18 meetings will be held in parallel during this fourth official visit, to check all logistic matters supporting the good operations during the Games, thus the good performance of athletes, such as: Medical Services, IT, Transports, Anti-Doping, Arrivals and Departures, Protocol and more.
Venue Tours
Venue tours started on March 11 with a group of the delegation visiting Laguna Bujama, venue for water ski and wakeboard.
On Wednesday 13 the delegation toured the Videna, main competition venue for the Games, the Pan American and Parapan American Village, accommodation venue for 6680 athletes, Para athletes and they continued with the visits at the Villa María del Triunfo Sports Center, host of baseball and hockey.
Celine Deslauriers, Operations Manager of the Canadian Olympic Committee, and Douglas Vandor, Canada’s Chef de Mission, were also part of the tour alongside experts and managers of the NOC, who will come for the Games. On Games-time the Canadian NOC will be composed of approximately 500 athletes.
“Canada has always worked like this for every Pan American or Olympic Games. We are always making visits to ensure that when the athletes arrive, they only have to worry about the competition. To us, the Toronto 2015 Games were like mini Olympics,” commented Vandor.
Perhaps this habit of planning ahead and being cautious is related to having not only organized the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games, but also the Winnipeg 1967 and 1999 as well.
“One of the reasons why, after Winnipeg 1967 and 1999, we hosted Toronto 2015, was because we wanted to leave a better legacy for our athletes in that area of our country. I believe, from what we see here today, that with the great and renovated venues that Lima will have, they will be able to expect great things for the Peruvian Olympic Committee” stated Deslauriers.
At the Pan American and Parapan American Village, the Canadian delegation payed special attention in ensuring that all conditions are ideal for the accommodation and coexistence of their athletes, visiting the regular and accessible apartments, the storage and inspecting even the satellite signal with wireless devices.
“All athletes will be very happy with the fitness center, the swimming pool, the dining room. They really appreciate short distances, and this village is compact and efficient. We are very pleased with the layouts. The Organizing Committee is helping us a lot,” finished Deslauriers.