PRESS RELEASE 

The Shooting Federation of Canada   https://sfc-ftc.ca

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Ottawa, ONTARIO - March 4, 2024.  The annual Shooting Federation of Canada Excellence Awards celebrate the people who make a difference in our sport, recognize outstanding achievements, and celebrate the success of our members.

The Shooting Federation of Canada believes in supporting excellence by recognizing the exceptional performances of our athletes, coaches, officials, and volunteers. 

It is SFC’s honour to announce the Excellence Award recipients for 2023!

Female Athlete of the Year – Shannon Westlake, Rifle

Shannon has proven that dedication and hard work pay tangible dividends. It was an incredible 2023 for Shannon!  At Canadian Nationals she finished first in 10m Air Rifle, 3P & 50m Prone; also setting a new Canadian record in Women’s 50M Prone at 628.4, breaking her previous record from 2019 at 620.8. Shannon then went on to win a bronze in Women’s 3P at the Pan American Games, securing Canada a Paris 2024 Olympic quota spot in a nail-biting final which all came down to the last shot, medaling with a score of 446.5 in the final.

Male Athlete of the Year – Tugrul Ozer, Pistol

Tugrul’s hard work and dedication were on display at the 2023 Pan Am Games where he clinched the gold medal in Men’s 10m Air Pistol, securing Canada a Paris 2024 quota spot all while setting a new Pan Am Games record of 240.5; the previous record was 237.3 set in 2019.  A truly exciting performance by Tugrul as he narrowly edged out James Hall of the USA in the final shot.

Coach of the Year - Yulun (Alan) Zhao and Miya Song

• Dedicated coaches, Alan and Miya have been instrumental in the development of emerging up and coming athletes.  Their professionalism, commitment and hard work make them exemplary role models. Their sense of teamwork and dedication to success have made a positive difference in the development of their athletes and their enthusiasm, generosity and kindness leave a lasting impression wherever they go. 

Eddy Mark Shaske Memorial Award - Naomi Tucker, Rifle

• Recognized as the top athlete in Newfoundland and Labrador, Naomi shot a personal best in air rifle and achieved a qualifying score for the Identified Junior Air Rifle Team early in 2023 at the Canadian Junior National Championships.  At the High-Performance Team Trials, she competed in her first 3P event and then went on to win a gold medal and set a new Canadian Junior National record at the National Championships. She has also won the Premier’s Athletic Award for the past three years in recognition as a top performing youth in all Provincial sports. Her athletic abilities, combined with her dedication to sportsmanship and continued development sets her apart.

Ernie Sopsich Memorial Fund (Junior shooter) - Yvette Young, Rifle

• A positive role model to up and coming athletes, Yvette contributes to a collegial and positive atmosphere at any event she attends. Already a committed volunteer she is ready to offer a helping hand whenever needed.  A promising athlete, Yvette won gold at the Grand Prix, a bronze at the National Junior Championship and participated in the InterShoot competition in The Netherlands.

Official of the Year – Manon Normandin

A dedicated official and leader, Manon never hesitates to help educate athletes, parents, coaches, and volunteers on the rules for the events in a positive and understanding way.  An organized and efficient leader, each match she officiates is well-run and the athletes continually come away with a positive experience.  Dedicated to development, she obtained her ISSF-B license in 2022 and then in 2023 was the Match Director for all the provincial matches in Trois-Rivières; was the Chief Range Officer for the Canadian Junior National Championship in Truro (NS); was Chief Range Officer and Jury Member during the 2023 National Rifle Championships; trained 3 new Club-level officials in Quebec; is working closely with officials working towards their provincial (2 athletes) and national (1 athlete) levels; gave classes on equipment checks during the National Championships; and is working with officials in other provinces to help them gain levels.

ABOUT

The SFC Awards Committee annually confers Awards and Grants to individuals in recognition of distinguished achievements within the sport of target shooting.

The Shooting Federation of Canada (SFC) is the National Sport Organization and the national sport governing body responsible for the promotion, development and governance of organized, recreational, and competitive target shooting in Canada.

MEDIA CONTACT

                                               

Jasmine Northcott, SFC CEO               

jnorthcott@sfc-ftc.ca                

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