Kacie Bosch and Paige Crozon are joined by their families ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge sending 11 to Paris Olympics

Jul 8, 2024 | 1:07 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Nearly one dozen people from Lethbridge will be involved in this year’s summer Olympic Games.

The Lethbridge Sport Council (LSC) says, even with a few sports having yet to announce their competitors, they know of 11 people from the city who are set to travel to Paris later this month to compete on the biggest stage of all.

That includes six athletes, as well as an official, broadcast engineer, coach, mission staff, and sport director.

• Athletes:
  • Kacie Bosch – 3×3 Basketball
  • Paige Crozon – 3×3 Basketball
  • Christa Deguchi – Judo
  • Kelly Deguchi – Judo
  • Apollo Hess – Swimming
  • Sarah Orban – Track Cycling
• Other officials:
  • Michael Barwegen – Soccer – Official
  • Jon Koopmans – Broadcast Engineer
  • Ryan Sommer – Mission Staff
  • Lawrence Steinke – Athletics – Coach
  • Mike Tamura – Judo – Sport Director

Steinke, Koopmans, and Sommer will take part in their sixth, third, and second Olympic competitions respectively. All of the local athletes, as well as Barwegen and Tamura, make their Olympic debuts.

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Kacie Bosch says getting to take part in the Olympic Games feels surreal to her.

“I never really expected to go to the Olympics as an athlete. I used to be an avid watcher – every single time it was summer or winter, I would record every single event on every single channel there ever was and watch them all,” says Bosch. “To be able to go and compete and be able to experience with my teammates is something I never thought I would do, but I’m extremely grateful that I get the opportunity to do it now.”

Bosch and Crozon will play on the same 3×3 Basketball team and say they have been through a “gauntlet” of challengers to be able to qualify. The squad has toured multiple countries through a variety of competitions, taking on some of the best pro players in the world.

Crozon, who also serves as an assistant coach for the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns Women’s Basketball Team, says that experience has helped her tremendously.

“Coaching has helped me see the game a little differently on the court, so I think it’s definitely helped me just enhance my game, enhance my vision, and the reads I want to make on the court,” says Crozon. “Also, coming from an athlete coaching, I think it’s just provided a lot of experience that I can share with our athletes.”

Both will be accompanied in Paris by their friends and family and believe that support will help them to navigate the more difficult parts of competing at such a high level.

LSC Executive Director Susan Eymann says she is incredibly proud of the locals who are taking part in the Games.

She adds that having 11 people from a diverse set of roles goes to show just how strong the sport community in Lethbridge is and how it is a part of every day life for so many people.

The 2024 Olympic Summer Games start July 26, 2024.

The Canadian Delegation includes 314 athletes, as well as a variety of non-competing officials.

The full schedule for the 2024 Olympic Games is available here.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now

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