TORONTO — Brave is unbeatable is the theme for Canada's Olympic team competing in Paris this summer.
The Canadian Olympic Committee and broadcast rightsholder CBC unveiled the marketing campaign on Friday.
Nine athletes are featured, including sprinter Andre De Grasse and basketball player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Actor Michael J. Fox and singer Celine Dion are narrators.
The Summer Olympics in Paris run from July 26 to Aug. 11.
Canadian athletes won 24 medals, including seven gold, in Tokyo's Summer Olympics delayed from 2020 to 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The "brave is unbeatable" catchline aims to rally Canadians behind their Olympics by revealing the obstacles they've overcome to compete internationally and to remind people that everyone faces their own unique set of obstacles, the COC said Friday in a statement.
Other featured athletes include gymnast Ellie Black, swimmer Maggie Mac Neil, weightlifter Maude Charron, wrestler Justina Di Stasio, cyclist Hugo Houle, breaker Phil Wizard and taekwondo athlete Skylar Park.
"Throughout my career, when I’ve experienced injuries and setbacks, I used to question whether I could still compete against the world’s best,” said reigning Olympic 200-metre champion De Grasse.
"But my belief in myself is stronger than any doubt I’ve ever faced. That resiliency helps me push through all the adversity. And it’s worth it, because when we get to Paris, I know I’ll have the support of the whole country lifting me up, too.”
Olympic weightlifting champion Maude Charron relays the challenge of dropping to a new weight class, while Park speaks of the pressure she feels as a fourth-generation taekwondo athlete representing a family of black belts.
Fox, a five-time winner at the Emmy Awards, has waged a public battle with Parkinson's disease.
“It’s amazing to see what these athletes have overcome in order to achieve greatness," the Burnaby, B.C. native said in the statement. "I think that story is so important, and we can all relate to that struggle to persevere despite the odds.
"I consider myself part of Team Canada, and I’ll be cheering them all on as they compete in Paris this summer."
Dion, an international pop star from Charlemagne, Que., provides French narration. The five-time Grammy winner has been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, which is a neurological disorder that affects muscles.
“The stories of these athletes inspire me,” she said. “I cannot wait to see what each of them accomplishes when they go for it in Paris this summer, where I hope they will also inspire the world."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 19, 2024.
The Canadian Press