LIMA, Peru — Para table tennis player Stephanie Chan has been named Canada's flag-bearer for the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games opening ceremony.
Chan won gold at the Toronto 2015 Parapan Am games, then finished fourth at the 2016 Rio Games in her Paralympic debut.
The 62-year-old from Vancouver will be competing in her fourth Parapan Am Games. She has one gold, two silver, and one bronze in her Parapan Am career.
"I'm so excited to go into the stadium with the team. In my mind, I just want to show here how to play well, how to work hard, and that age is just a number," said Chan, who will lead a team of five Canadian para table tennis players in Lima. "This is a privilege, and I hope to have a good time, and I can show people that if I can do it, you can do it."
Chan, who competes in the class 7 division, is currently ranked No. 9 in the world, and No. 2 in the Americas.
The International Table Tennis Federation says in its para table tennis classification code that class 7 is eligible for athletes with very severe impairments of legs or severe to moderate impairments of the playing arm.
The opening ceremony is Friday at the Estadio Nacional de Lima.
The Canadian Press
