VICTORIA – The Olympic and Paralympic Games, which kick off this week, represent the pinnacle of sporting success and a celebration of human excellence. As the 33rd Olympiad unfolds in Paris, the University of Victoria community has a special stake in the spectacle.
UVic Vikes athletes, alumni, coaches, and staff have been synonymous with Olympic triumph for decades, collectively amassing 211 appearances and claiming an impressive haul of 35 gold, 25 silver, and 13 bronze medals. This summer, the tradition continues as ten UVic and Vikes connections are set to take part, including
Carissa Norsten, Krissy Scurfield, Shaylaya Valenzuela (alternate), Avalon Wasteneys, Caileigh Filmer, Chris Hindmarch-Watson, Sue Lott, Dr. Simon Pearson, Adam Parfitt, and Jeremy Bagshaw, who will proudly don the maple leaf in Paris.
The opening ceremony on July 26 promises a historic twist: athletes will float past Parisian landmarks in boats along the Seine, adding a touch of French flair to the festivities. So, mark your calendars and get ready to cheer for the Vikes as they strive for greatness on the world's grandest stage.
Vikes in Paris
Women's rugby
Rugby sevens, a fast-paced and thrilling variation of traditional rugby, has become a popular fixture at the Olympics. Introduced to the program at Rio 2016, rugby sevens has quickly captivated audiences with its dynamic play and exciting format. With Langford, B.C., serving as the training ground for Rugby Canada's national teams, it should come as no surprise to see current and former Vikes rugby players emerge on the Olympic stage.
Carissa Norsten
Third-year women's rugby player
Carissa Norsten is the only current Vikes student-athlete named to an Olympic roster. Norsten, who earned the 2022 U SPORTS Rookie of the Year award, made her senior national team debut at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile. Following her outstanding performance in Santiago, the Waldheim Saskatchewan product joined the HSBC Women's World Rugby SVNS Series for six stops, including the circuit's grand final in Madrid, Spain, between May 31 and June 2. Her outstanding performance on tour earned her HSBC SVNS Rookie of the Year honours.
Since joining the senior national team ranks, Norsten says she has become a lot more detailed on and off the field. "Adjusting to the speed of international sevens was a challenge. Learning how to attack and defend against players with much more experience than me was a learning curve," said Norsten.
"It was always a goal [to represent Canada at the Olympics], but I never thought it was much of a possibility to make the 2024 Olympic team. I'm so grateful for this opportunity and the endless support I've had along the way to help me get here."
Krissy Scurfield
Women's rugby player, alumna
Krissy Scurfield, will also make her Olympic debut in Paris. Scurfield, who played two seasons with the Vikes, has become a mainstay on the Canadian sevens roster, leading this year's HSBC SVNS Series tied with teammate Charity Williams at 20 tries a piece. With lightning-fast speed, Scurfield is undoubtedly one of the most exciting players to watch, and with her ability to break away from the pack, she has already amassed 35 tries and 175 points on the sevens circuit.
"We are incredibly proud to see Carissa and Krissy named to the Olympic sevens squad. Krissy burst onto the sevens scene in 2021 and since then has solidified herself as a top contender in the world. Her speed is world class, but her tenacity is out of this world. Carissa made her debut just this last year and was electric out of the gate. She is a force to be reckoned with on both defence and attack and earned the Rookie of the Year Award for her strong performances," said Brittany Waters, UVic women's rugby head coach and Rugby Canada Hall-of-Famer.
Shaylaya Valenzuela
Former UVic women's rugby player, Shaylaya Valenzuela, helped the Vikes to a fourth-place finish at the 2021 U SPORTS Women's Rugby Championship. Since then, Valenzuela has found herself as an integral member of Canada's women's sevens team. Originally from Abbotsford, Valenzuela is a member of the Tseshaht First Nation on Vancouver Island and will serve as an alternate in Paris.
Women's rugby sevens gets underway immediately, taking place July 28 to July 30 (Day 2 to 4) at the Stade de France. Canada has drawn in Pool A, alongside New Zealand, Fiji and People's Republic of China.
Women's Rowing
With an impressive tally of 68 combined men's and women's Olympic rowing appearances, Vikes rowers have long been representing UVic at the highest level. Among them, women's rowing alumnae Avalon Wasteneys and Caileigh Filmer — a gold and bronze medalist respectively at Tokyo 2020 — are poised to once again bolster Canada's medal count in Paris.
Avalon Wasteneys
Avalon Wasteneys, a returning member of the women's gold medal-winning eight from Tokyo, grew up as a competitive cross-country skier before taking up rowing as a novice with the Vikes. With an athletic pedigree—her mother, Heather Clarke, competed in the coxed four at the Seoul 1988 Olympics, and her aunt was part of the women's eight at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics—Wasteneys was destined for greatness.
In Tokyo, Wasteneys and the women's eight delivered a near-flawless performance, securing Canada's first gold medal in the Olympic women's eight event since 1992. This victory marked the first Olympic gold by a Canadian women's crew since Marnie McBean and Kathleen Heddle's triumph in double sculls in 1996.
Wasteneys and former UVic teammate Caileigh Filmer, will look to replicate the team's performance from 2021.
Caileigh Filmer
Caileigh Filmer, who won Olympic bronze in the women's pair at Tokyo 2020 with Hillary Janssens, will compete at her third Olympic Games. Filmer returned to rowing in 2023 after spending a couple of years away competing in road and track cycling. Filmer made her Olympic debut in the women's eight at Rio 2016 and is looking forward to being back in the big boat in Paris.
"Being selected to go to my third Olympic Games is a dream come true that I would not have thought possible a year ago. I picked up an oar again last July when I came back to the sport, inspired to help Canada become back-to-back Olympic champions in the women's eight. I am so proud of the entire team for our growth, integrity, and courage every day. I'm absolutely thrilled to race with these women and to have fun doing what we love together – representing Canada at the Olympics," she said in a Rowing Canada press release.
Support staff
Chris Hindmarch-Watson (Swimming - English Language Announcer)
Chris Hindmarch-Watson, set to reprise his role of English language announcer for swimming at the Paris Olympics, has worn many hats within the Vikes varsity swim program. He started as an athlete on the varsity swim team and later became the team manager. Following his time as an athlete, Hindmarch-Watson went on to establish and chair the swimming alumni chapter. His talent for announcing became evident when he called his first CIS Championship in 2002. Since then, Hindmarch-Watson has lent his voice to over ten U SPORTS Swimming Championships, the 2006 Pan Pacific Games, the Rio and Tokyo Olympics and countless major USA Swimming events all over the world becoming one of their top three announcers.
Sue Lott, Vikes physiotherapist (Paralympics – Athletics Canada)
Dr. Lott's career is grounded in the clinic and on the field. Her many years working on the pitch with sports teams in rugby, field hockey, rowing and triathlon; her countless hours covering events such as cycling, diving, swimming, wrestling, track and field, and softball has given her a home in both the local community and the community at large. Career highlights include; head physiotherapist of the Canadian women's national field hockey team from 1991 until 1995, which included an Intercontinental Cup, World Cup Qualifier, World Cup and an Olympic Qualifier; member of the Canadian Health Care team for the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. Lott is the West hub therapy lead and Paralympic lead for Athletics Canada.
Dr. Simon Pearson, Vikes Chiropractor (Athletics Canada)
Dr. Pearson has been a volunteer Chiropractor with the Vikes for 18 years, working with varsity athletes out of the Sports Injury Clinic during the competitive season. Over the years he has worked closely and travelled with the cross country and track team to many national championships. Dr. Pearson is the co-owner of Fix Healthcare Victoria and will be working with Athletics Canada in Tokyo.
Adam Parfitt (Team leader, Rowing Canada Aviron)
Team leaders are the unsung heroes of Olympic squads and UVic grad Adam Parfitt will be back in that role at the 2024 Paris Olympics. An accomplished athlete in his own right, Parfitt raced in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and the 2000 Sydney Olympics, amongst other international competitions. At the 1996 games in Atlanta, Parfitt and the men's eight boat finished just off the podium in fourth. The Parkland native currently resides in Victoria and has worked closely with the Vikes varsity program over the years.
Notable UVic grad
Jeremy Bagshaw
Jeremy Bagshaw, who earned a Master's of Science in Kinesiology at UVic before attending medical school at the University of Limerick in Ireland, will also make his long-awaited Olympic debut for Canada in the 200m relay. Dr. Bagshaw, who is a St. Michael's University School graduate, went on to be an NCAA star at the
University of California-Berkeley, swimming for the
California Golden Bears with great success. As one of the oldest swimmers on the team at age 32, he's been named one of four captains for the Canadian swim team in Paris.
To keep up with all the UVic connections in Paris, follow the Vikes
Instagram and
Facebook accounts.
Vikes at the Paris Olympics:
Rugby 7s (W)
Carissa Norsten
Krissy Scurfield
Shaylaya Valenzuela (alternate)
Rowing (W)
Caileigh Filmer
Avalon Wasteneys
Swimming (M) *
Jeremy Bagshaw
*Uvic graduate, not a Vikes alumnus
Staff and Officials
Dr. Simon Pearson, Vikes chiropractor, Athletics Canada
Sue Lott, Vikes physiotherapist, Paralympics Canada
Chris Hindmarch-Watson, swimming alumni, Swimming English language announcer
Adam Parfitt, UVic alumni, Rowing Canada team lead
