Wheelchair basketball player Shayne Smith is a finalist for the 2011 Ontario Sport Award for Male Athlete with a Disability of the Year. Ontario is recognizing 33 of the province’s top amateur athletes and coaches whose performances excelled on both national and international arenas, including at the 2011 Pan/Parapan American Games.
The 2011 Ontario Sport Awards celebrate the outstanding contributions of athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and corporate sponsors who support amateur sport in Ontario.
This year’s finalists include:
Male Athlete of the Year
- Eric Lamaze (Equestrian)
- Adam van Koeverden(Kayak)
- Patrick Chan (Figure Skating)
Female Athlete of the Year
- Michelle Li (Badminton)
- Whitney McClintock (Water Ski)
- Mary Spencer (Boxing)
Male Athlete with a Disability of the Year
- Kyle Whitehouse (Special Olympics)
- Shayne Smith (Wheelchair Basketball)
- Mark Ledo (Cycling)
Female Athlete with a Disability of the Year
- Meagan Michie (Special Olympics)
- Summer Mortimer (Swimming)
- Robbi Weldon (Cycling)
Winners will be announced and recognized on April 19, 2012 in Toronto.
About the Ontario Sport Awards
The Ontario Sports Awards are a provincial award program established in 1965 to honour and promote athletic achievement and participation in sport and fitness. The awards annually recognize athletes and coaches who have distinguished themselves nationally or internationally in the previous year, as well as corporate sponsors and volunteers who have contributed to the development of amateur sports in Ontario. It is the highest recognition for sport excellence in the province.