Seventeen-year-old Surrey athlete Ciara Peterson is preparing to represent Canada at the 25th Summer Deaflympics in Tokyo this November — but getting there hasn’t been easy financially.
Peterson will be among four dozen Team Canada athletes competing across nine sports at the world’s largest event for deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes. However, the Canadian Deaf Sports Association (CDSA) has struggled to raise enough money to cover travel and lodging costs for the team.
Facing what it calls a “critical lack of resources,” the CDSA launched a national campaign earlier this year to raise $100,000. Despite federal aid and donations, funds remain short, leaving many athletes to finance their own participation.
Peterson, a student at Salish Secondary School in Surrey, joined Canada’s deaf women’s volleyball team at age 14 and has been training for years. “Sports have shaped who I am,” she said. “They’ve given me confidence and belonging, and I want to show deaf youth that they can achieve anything.”
While grateful that her family has helped raise around $5,000 for the trip, Peterson says other talented players won’t make it due to financial barriers. “We have some really good players who just can’t afford to go,” she said.
The Deaflympics — first held in 1924 — bring together nearly 4,000 athletes from 80 countries, celebrating sport and inclusion through a shared language and culture.
“Deaf sports have the power to unite people,” said CDSA executive director Alain Turpin. “Team Canada is determined to showcase that inclusivity and pride on the world stage.”
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