Archer Amelia Gagné and her coach Jess Ashton have been selected to receive the prestigious Petro-Canada FACE grant.
The pair are among 55 athlete-coach duos chosen across Canada, with hopes of representing the country at future Olympic events.
Nominated by Archery Canada, Gagné and Ashton are the only archery athlete-coach duo to receive the grant this year. Both hail from the Peterborough area and train locally at Red Head Archery in Douro-Dummer, a facility that opened in 2021 following the closure of a nearby archery center in 2019.
Gagné and Ashton have demonstrated remarkable perseverance, training together despite challenges, and have competed in significant events such as the 2023 Canada Winter Games and the 2024 Youth and Masters Pan American Championships in El Salvador. They are set to compete at the World Archery Championships in Alberta this September.
Expressing her gratitude, Gagné said, “The funding from Petro-Canada will allow me to participate in more international tournaments and assist with equipment upgrades, which will greatly benefit my progression in archery.”
Ashton added, “Programs like the Petro-Canada FACE program are invaluable for athlete development as we work towards Amelia’s Olympic goals.”
The FACE grant provides $10,000 to each selected athlete-coach pair, supporting training, equipment, coach education, and competition travel. Since 1988, the program has provided over $14 million to Canadian athletes and coaches.
