Stephanie Chan, Ian Chan and Travis Murao are the next Richmond athletes to take centre stage in Rio.
The trio are among 44 from B.C. on the Canadian team competing at the Paralympic Games which get underway Wednesday.
Stephanie Chan will be representing her country in table tennis. She qualified for Rio last August when she won the gold medal in women’s class 7 singles at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games. She is currently ranked 10th in the world.
“This is the first time that we ever had a player ranked in the top-10 compete at the Paralympic Games,” said John MacPherson, Table Tennis Canada’s para head coach. “Stephanie has the potential for excellent results in Rio and I know she will be an inspiration to those who follow her in the future.”
Chan is Canada’s first Paralympian to compete in table tennis at the Paralympic Games since Ian Kent placed 12th in 2008.
Meanwhile, Ian Chan and Murao are veteran members of the Canada’s wheelchair rugby team which is considered a serious gold medal threat. Canada opens play Sept. 14 against Brazil and will also take on Great Britain (Sept. 15) and Australia (Sept. 16).
The semi-finals are slated for Sept. 17.
