Tony Flores

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Tony Flores
close-up of Tony Flores wearing a light-coloured shirt, tie, and dark blazer, smiling directly at camera
Flores in 2018
Personal information
NationalityCanadian, Filipino
BornPhilippines
Sport
CountryCanada
SportParacanoe

Tony Flores is a Filipino Canadian paracanoe athlete who lives in Edmonton, Alberta. He served as the first appointed advocate at the Office of the Advocate for Persons with Disabilities with the Government of Alberta.

Para-athletics[edit]

Tony Flores at the 2011 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships

As a para-athlete, Flores has competed internationally, including as a member of Canada's paracanoe team at the 2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Canada,[1][2] which was the premiere of paracanoe in sport competition.[3] Flores also competed in paracanoe at the 2010 event in Poland and in 2011 in Hungary.[2] He has also competed in wheelchair racing and para-Nordic skiing.[4]

Flores has served as the director of the Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award for eight Paralympic Games.[1][2] Additionally, he has served on the board of directors of the nonprofit Alberta Sport Connection, from 2016 to 2018.[5]

Advocacy[edit]

On October 30, 2018, Flores was appointed as the first Advocate for Persons with Disabilities, with the opening of the Office of the Advocate for Persons with Disabilities within the Government of Alberta. His three-year term ended on October 31, 2021. [4][6][1]

Flores is the inspiration for the children's book Tony's Wheels, by Mila Bongco-Philipzig.[7]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Philipzig, Mila (November 16, 2018). "Pinoy Named as First Advocate for Persons with Disabilities in Alberta: Tony Flores". Alberta Filipino Journal. Edmonton. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Billacura, Moses (February 17, 2021). "EBOA Referee Rolan, Three-Time National Athlete Tony Flores". Alberta Filipino Journal. Alberta. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  3. ^ "Sport Week: History of para-canoe". International Paralympic Committee. March 10, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "From para-athlete to advocate: Tony Flores is Alberta's new disability advocate". CBC News. Edmonton. November 2, 2018. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  5. ^ Alberta Sport Connection. Alberta Sport Connection Annual Reports (Report). Government of Alberta. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  6. ^ Graney, Emma (October 30, 2018). "Para-athlete Tony Flores named as Alberta's first disability advocate". Edmonton Journal. Edmonton. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  7. ^ "Tony Flores, Alberta's first Advocate for Persons with Disabilities, inspires new book Tony's Wheels". Canadian Filipino Net. January 21, 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2022.