U of A ready to welcome Olympic Torch relay

Olympic fever makes its way to the City of Champions tomorrow, as the Olympic Torch will begin a three-day tour of the capital region. The torch's Edmonton tour includes a stop at the U of A, where a pep rally will be held tomorrow afternoon for the arrival of the torch on campus.

With less than a month to go before the Winter Olympics kick off in Vancouver, the privilege of carrying the torch will be shared by several members of the University community, including Paralympic medallist and U of A graduate student Danielle Peers. Peers was asked by the University to carry the torch — being tapped to carry the torch was both a surprise and an honour for Peers.

"I got a call from the U of A one morning saying that they had this torch relay position and that after consulting people, they had decided they wanted to ask me to do it. It was a welcome surprise one morning," Peers said.

An elite wheelchair basketball player, Peers will not only be representing herself, but also the University as a whole when she carries the torch. Being selected as a representative of the U of A, an institution that has been so supportive of Peers’ academic endeavours, is of great importance to the grad student.

"I think being a member of the U of A community meant the most to me — that they've chosen me to represent them. The University has been very supportive of my academic work and I certainly feel a great honour to represent them, my faculty, and my fellow grad students."

The honour also holds special meaning for Peers as a way to increase exposure for the Paralympics and the great role sport can play in the lives of all athletes.

"Paralympics often get a lot less visibility and recognition than the Olympics obviously do, so to be a Paralympic athlete carrying the Olympic torch I think has a certain political ramification that I'm really happy about."

"I was very happy that the University of Alberta recognized my athletic achievements as an athlete and not as an athlete with a disability," Peers explained.

Peers, who will be wheeling the torch south from Groat Road down 111 Street, is currently working on her PhD in Physical Education and Recreation, where she works with Dr. Pirkko Markula in the Body Movement and Culture Research Group.

"I'm really interested in the ways that sport can re-affirm the way we look at disability and the ways we can look at disability differently," Peers said.

Along with Peers, U of A President Indira Samarasekera will be just one of many torch bearers with U of A ties who will be participating in the relay. Torch festivities commence tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 p.m. in a pep rally on the north side of 87th Avenue in front of the Butterdome, with a secondary stage on the south side of 87th Avenue in the entranceway to the Jubilee Auditorium and Lister Hall.