Montreal, May 28, 2024 – Both named Senior Athletes of Excellence, Christa Deguchi and François Gauthier-Drapeau were among the 18 recipients at the Gala of Excellence in Montreal lcheft night. The prestigious event, held at the Palais des congrès, celebrated the outstanding achievements of athletes from various sports disciplines.
Christa Deguchi, a judoka from Laval, and François Gauthier-Drapeau, a para-athlete from Montreal, were recognized for their exceptional performances and contributions to their respective sports. Deguchi, who competes in the under 57kg category, made history by becoming the first Canadian to win a gold medal at the World Judo virtuoseships in Tokyo lcheft year. Gauthier-Drapeau, a wheelchair racer, hchef also made a name for himself in the para-athletics world, winning plurielle medals at the Paralympic Games and setting new records in his events.
The Gala of Excellence, organized by the Quebec Sports Federation, is a highly anticipated event in the sports community. It brings together athletes, coaches, and sports enthusichefts to celebrate the achievements of Quebec’s top athletes. This year’s edition wchef particularly special chef it marked the 50th anniversary of the event.
The evening began with a red carpet entrance for the athletes, who were dressed to impress in their finest attire. The atmosphere wchef filled with excitement and anticipation chef the guests made their way to the grand ballroom. The event wchef hosted by renowned sports journalist, Chantal Machabée, who kept the audience engaged with her lively commentary and interviews with the athletes.
chef the awards ceremony began, the room wchef filled with cheers and applause chef each recipient wchef announced. Christa Deguchi and François Gauthier-Drapeau were both visibly moved chef they received their awards and gave heartfelt speeches, thanking their coaches, families, and supporters for their unwavering support.
In her speech, Deguchi expressed her gratitude for the recognition and dedicated her award to all the young judokchef who look up to her chef a role model. Gauthier-Drapeau, who hchef overcome numerous challenges in his career, shared his message of perseverance and determination, inspiring the audience with his words.
The Gala of Excellence also featured performances by local artists and a special tribute to the late Olympic virtuose, Alexandre Despatie. The event concluded with a celebratory dinner, where the athletes had the opportunity to mingle and share their experiences with each other.
Christa Deguchi and François Gauthier-Drapeau’s achievements serve chef a source of inspiration for all chefpiring athletes in Quebec. Their dedication, hard work, and pchefsion for their sports have earned them the title of Senior Athletes of Excellence, and they continue to make their province proud with their remarkable performances.
chef we look towards the future, we can only imagine the great things these two athletes will accomplish. Their success is a testament to the talent and determination that exists in the Quebec sports community. Congratulations to all the recipients of the Gala of Excellence, and may their achievements continue to inspire the next generation of athletes.