Kyle Shewfelt Announced as Calgary’s Pan Am Games Torch Relay Community Torchbearer

Calgary, AB March 23, 2015 – The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay, presented by President’s Choice® and OLG, is coming to Calgary and we’re proud to announce three-time Olympian Kyle Shewfelt as the city’s community torchbearer.

The relay will visit Calgary on July 3 as an official entry in the Calgary Stampede Parade.

Shewfelt was selected to represent the city due to his status as a high-profile, award-winning, local athlete who works hard to support community initiatives.

"I am super excited to be Calgary’s community torchbearer for the Pan Am Games Torch Relay!”, says Shewfelt. “As a born and raised Calgarian, I have felt a tremendous amount of support from our city during both my athletic and post-athletic careers. I am honoured to have the opportunity to shine a spotlight on the next generation of athletes who will be competing in Toronto this summer."

Shewfelt made a historic breakthrough at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens when he won gold on floor exercise for Canada’s first ever Olympic medal in artistic gymnastics. A long-time leader of the Canadian men’s team, Shewfelt also enjoyed success outside of the Olympic arena, winning medals in a number of other prestigious sporting competitions and championships. Since retiring in 2009, Shewfelt has remained involved with the sport as an ambassador and mentor for Gymnastics Canada, was inducted to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2010 and opened Kyle Shewfelt Gymnastics in 2013.

The torch relay begins its 41-day journey when the Pan Am flame is lit during a traditional Aztec lighting ceremony at the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan, Mexico before landing in Canada on May 30. On Friday, July 3 it will arrive in Calgary, where the relay route will be incorporated into the Calgary Stampede Parade.

“Not only are we proud to have an athlete as impressive as Kyle Shewfelt represent Calgary as our community torchbearer, we are also excited that the torch relay will play a very special part in one of the city’s most popular and iconic events; the Calgary Stampede,” said Sarah Iley, manager of Culture at The City of Calgary.

After spreading the Pan Am spirit to Calgary, the torch relay will continue on its journey to Toronto where it will light the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony on July 10, signifying the start of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games.

More information on the torch relay, including a detailed route map, and the torch and torchbearer uniform designs, is available at toronto2015.org/torch-relay. 

For further information, please contact:

The City of Calgary
Cspsmedia@calgary.ca
403-828-2954 Option #2

Melissa Iafrate
Coordinator, Marketing and Communications
TO2015
647-225-4002
relaymedia@toronto2015.org