February 9, 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Communications Department NEIL MCNEIL WEIGHTLIFTING WINS AT PROVINCIAL 80 Sheppard Avenue East AND CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS North York, Ontario M2N 6E8 The Neil McNeil High School Olympic Weightlifting Team has met with great success on the Ontario and Canadian Weightlifting Championship podiums: Media Contact: Emmy Szekeres Milne Ontario Junior Championships in North Bay: Acting Co-ordinator Patrick Bass - Gold (1st in 56kg weight class) Communications, Public and Tyler Nassiri - Bronze(3rd in 69kg class) Media Relations [email protected] Justin Spencer - Bronze (3rd in 77kg. Class) 416-222-8282 Ext. 2356 Kester Munro (Neil Alumnus) - Gold (1st in 62 kg class) Canadian Junior Championships in Lachute, Quebec: Information: Patrick Bass - Silver (56kg) Eamonn Dorgan Carl Aplacador - Third Place(62kg) 416-393-5502 Kester Munro (Neil Alumnus) - Bronze medal (62 kg) Under the supervision and expertise of Ontario provincial coach Hani Kanama, the program has motivated many at-risk students to stay in school. Mr. Kanama is one of many dedicated coaches at Neil McNeil. The Olympic Lifting Team trains four days a week throughout the year and has been competing for the past three years. “The impact on our school community and on the lives of particular students is immeasurable. Hani’s concern for and support of the athletes in this program has changed the lives of these young men. He is a wonderful coach but, he is also a great mentor for his athletes,” said principal John Shanahan. For more information on Olympic Weightlifting, visit: What is Olympic Weightlifting? - 30 - The Toronto Catholic District School Board educates more than 90,000 students from diverse cultures and language backgrounds in its 201 Catholic elementary and secondary schools and serves 474,876 Catholic school supporters across the City of Toronto. .