Five More Canadian Athletes with Inspiring Stories Join Team Toyota on their way to the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022

TORONTO, Ontario – March 29, 2021 – As the world’s elite athletes prepare for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Toyota Canada is welcoming five more Canadians to their team. On their way to becoming world-class athletes, the members of Team Toyota have all conquered personal challenges and are now sharing their own inspiring “Start Your Impossible” stories to help encourage fellow Canadians.

“We’re thrilled to welcome five more Canadian athletes to Team Toyota, each of them with an inspirational story about breaking barriers, achieving athletic excellence and making a difference in their communities,” said Cyril Dimitris, Vice President, Toyota Canada. “By sharing their personal stories of triumph, we hope to encourage more Canadians to start their own ‘impossible’ journeys.”

Prior to the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, Toyota launched Start Your Impossible, a global campaign to share the inspirational personal stories of athletes from around the world. In 2019, Toyota Canada launched its own Team Toyota by supporting 10 summer athletes on their road to the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020. Now, Toyota Canada will also share the Start Your Impossible stories of its newest Team Toyota athletes on their road to the Winter Games. Here’s a glimpse of the newest Team Toyota athletes and their stories:

Billy Bridges – Prince Edward Island and Ontario (Para Ice Hockey)

Born with Spina Bifida, Billy Bridges’ physicians advised his family to limit his expectations when it came to playing sports. Instead, he tried every Para sport he could. Ultimately, he earned a spot on Team Canada’s para ice hockey team and he is now one of the team’s trusted veterans. Today, Billy shares his story to encourage the next generation to play sports. His message: Don’t be afraid to be uncomfortable and challenge your own boundaries.

Brian McKeever - Alberta (Para Nordic Skiing)

Brian McKeever and his father are legally blind. It was Brian’s father, however, that taught him how to ski. By age 18, Brian also started to experience vision loss. Though his world changed significantly, two things remained constant: his supportive family and his passion for skiing. In 2002, he first earned a spot on Canada’s National Para Nordic Ski Team. He is now Canada’s most decorated Winter Paralympian and is working toward competing in the next Paralympic Winter Games. Brian shares his inspirational story to encourage children like him to pursue their dreams - and to help Canadian parents normalize their child’s disability.

Brigette Lacquette – Manitoba (Ice Hockey)

Growing up in a small Métis community in Manitoba, playing hockey competitively came with a heavy financial and emotional price tag for Brigette Lacquette. She faced regular racism and significant funding challenges. But her family and reserve (Cote First Nation in Saskatchewan), rallied behind her and she became the first First Nations woman to represent Canada in ice hockey at the Olympic Winter Games. Today, Brigette strives to be a role model for girls and Indigenous children, encouraging them to follow their dreams. Her message: “You can come from the most isolated town and community and still be a part of Team Canada.”

Cynthia Appiah - Ontario (Bobsleigh)

Growing up in a low socio-economic household, Cynthia Appiah broke through many barriers en route to becoming an elite athlete. Years later, faced with the stereotypes associated with race and winter sports, she challenged herself to try the sport of bobsleigh. Devastated by being an alternate brakewoman for the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, she was on the brink of giving up on her athletic career. Instead, she decided to take control and become a pilot. Now, she’s again working toward a spot on the 2022 Canadian Olympic bobsleigh team and spends time sharing her story with aspiring young athletes with similar socio-economic backgrounds, encouraging them to pursue their own dreams.