The following athletes have been nominated for the Sask Sport Inc. August Athlete of the Month Award. The nominees are:

• Kia Byers, Canoe Kayak Saskatchewan. Byers raced at her first World Championship event and won a bronze medal in the 4x200m K1 relay and placed eighth in her individual event of Women's K1 200m. A total of 60 nations competed at this competition, with 12 countries represented in the K1 4x200m event and 29 in the K1 200m individual event.

• Alayna Chan, Saskatchewan Table Tennis Association. Chan gained a world ranking by playing in the quarter final U18 and U15 at the North American Junior and Cadet Championships. She earned Canada's only spot for Pan Am Qualifier to World Cadet Challenge, and was first in the World Junior Circuit Consolation semi-finals in U18 consolation. Chan was also named to Canada's Team (U15) for the World Junior Circuit, and was selected by Table Tennis Canada to attend a training camp in China.

• Tiffany Dodds, Saskatchewan Volleyball Association. Dodds competed in the qualifier for the 2010 World Championship Qualifier. She was the tournament MVP, third best scorer, best spiker, tenth best blocker and eleventh best server. She is also the starting "outside hitter" for Team Canada. She helped her team to finish first in the NORCECA Qualification round in Tijuana, Mexico.

• Keira Frie, Saskatchewan Wheelchair Sports Association. Frie won three gold medals in the 2009 Canada Summer Games in Prince Edward Island, claiming first in the 200m, 400m and the 1500m. She also set a new Canada Games record in the 200m event.

• Jessica Furlan, Saskatchewan Athletics. At the 2009 Pan Am Junior Track and Field Championships, Furlan's performance in the 3000m steeplechase earned her the bronze medal. She was also named to Team Saskatchewan for the 2009 Canada Summer Games, where she won gold in the 2000m steeplechase and placed fourth in the 1500m. Furlan is currently the Provincial record holder for the Juvenile, Junior and Senior 2000m steeplechase, and for the Junior and Senior 3000m steeplechase events.

• Jessica Guenther, Synchro Saskatchewan. Guenther won gold in each of her three events at the 2009 UANA Pan American Junior Synchronized Swimming Championships, which brought together the top Junior swimmers from 13 countries. She claimed first place in Individual Figures, Free Routine Team Championship, and Free Combination Team Championship.

• Ashley Leugner, Water Ski and Wakeboard Saskatchewan. At the 2009 IWSF World Championships, Leugner captured silver. A total of 25 countries were represented at the championships. Leugner is a member of the National Wakeboard Team.

• Kiera West, Saskatchewan Baton Twirling Association. West competed in the 2009 International Cup, where she finished fourth in the Elite Junior Compulsories, fifth in the Elite Junior Freestyle and fifth in the Junior 3-Baton. She greatly improved her placement, moving up from eighth place in 2008. West was the highest ranked Canadian "Elite" athlete at this world's competition in both Junior and Senior categories.

For more information contact Pat Rediger at (306) 780-9307 or email prediger@sasksport.sk.ca
For information regarding the Athlete of the Month Awards program, including previous nominees and recipients, visit www.sasksport.sk.ca/awards.php

September 17, 2009