Montreal – Saputo unveiled today the names of 41 student-athletes who shared a total of $134, 000 in bursaries, marking the 14th edition of Saputo’s Bursary Program with the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence.
This year’s bursary program features a new element, as bursaries have been divided into two distinct categories: Academic Excellence Bursaries - given to 22 student-athletes to reward academic excellence, and Academic and Athletic Support Bursaries - given to 19 student-athletes to reward their ability to succeed in their sport and their studies, a demanding challenge for those emerging onto or competing on the national and international scenes.
In 2010, Saputo proudly announced that it would renew its agreement to support the Foundation with a million dollar donation over a five-year partnership – an investment of $200,000 per year.
Mr. Claude Chagnon, President of the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence stated, “Saputo and the Foundation share the value of education and of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This is clearly demonstrated with their support of new bursaries that reward academic excellence – encouraging the pursuit of educational and athletic achievement. This year, Saputo is supporting 41 student-athletes, of which 29 are receiving their second, third - and in some cases, eighth bursary. Saputo is supporting these student-athletes in their development by adapting to their needs and challenges, while helping them prepare for their after sport career.”
Saputo recognizes the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence for its exceptional work with student-athletes, and for the solid partnerships it has built within the business community of Québec. These young student-athletes deserve and require our support in their quest for excellence
Among Saputo bursary recipients this year are two athletes who have qualified for the upcoming Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, namely Justine Dufour-Lapointe (Freestyle Ski – Moguls) and Valérie Maltais (Speedskating – Short Track). Other notable recipients include Dorothy Yeats, two-time Junior World Champion in Olympic Wrestling, and Olympian Chloé Dufour-Lapointe, who finished fifth in Freestyle Ski – Moguls at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, and is on track to qualify for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.
Below are the names of the 41 student-athlete recipients of a 2013 Saputo bursary
| Name | Discipline | Age | Amount | City | Category |
| Academic Excellence Bursaries | |||||
| Nahida Baalbaki | Soccer | 14 | $2,000 | Montreal (Ville St. Laurent) | Hopeful |
| Ariel Carignan | Soccer | 15 | $2,000 | Sherbrooke | Hopeful |
| Axelle Crevier | Waterpolo | 16 | $2,000 | Montreal (Rosemont) | Hopeful |
| Sarah Feola | Soccer | 15 | $2,000 | Montreal (St. Leonard) | Hopeful |
| Fanny Pelletier Laroche | Soccer | 14 | $2,000 | Gatineau | Hopeful |
| Gabrielle Carle | Soccer | 15 | $2,000 | Quebec City Region(St. Romuald) | Elite |
| Frédérique Cigna | Swimming | 16 | $4,000 | Montreal (Ahuntsic Cartierville ) | Elite |
| Vanessa Grégoire | Soccer | 17 | $2,000 | Beaconsfield | Elite |
| Marie Levasseur | Soccer | 16 | $2,000 | Stoneham | Elite |
| Samantha Maiorino | Diving | 15 | $4,000 | Pointe-Claire | Elite |
| Marie-Mychèle Métivier | Soccer | 16 | $2,000 | Breakeyville | Elite |
| Jonathan Naisby | Swimming | 15 | $4,000 | North Hatley | Elite |
| Charlotte Robillard-Millette | Tennis | 14 | $4,000 | Blainville | Elite |
| Bianca St. Georges | Soccer | 16 | $2,000 | St. Felix de Valois | Elite |
| Étienne Briand | Judo | 19 | $4,000 | Sept-Iles | Excellence |
| Gabriel Chancy | Volleyball | 18 | $4,000 | Montreal (Côte-des-Neiges) | Excellence |
| Kerrian Chunlaud | Freestyle Ski - Moguls | 20 | $4,000 | Quebec City | Excellence |
| Maxime Dufour-Lapointe | Freestyle Ski - Moguls | 24 | $5,000 | Montreal (Riviere-des-Prairies) | Excellence |
| Philippe Gagné | Diving | 16 | $4,000 | Montreal (Town of Mount Royal) | Excellence |
| Joelle Numainville | Road Cycling | 25 | $5,000 | Laval (Duvernay) | Excellence |
| Audrey Vaillancourt | Biathlon | 22 | $4,000 | Quebec City Region (Val Belair) | Excellence |
| Dorothy Yeats | Olympic Wrestling | 20 | $5,000 | Montreal-West | Excellence |
| Academic and Athletic Support Bursaries | |||||
| Xavier Grenier-Talavéra | Triathlon | 18 | $2,000 | Vaudreuil Dorion | Hopeful |
| Marie-Julie Malboeuf | Weightlifting | 19 | $2,000 | Repentigny | Hopeful |
| Lydia Marquis | Soccer | 15 | $2,000 | St. Hubert | Hopeful |
| Félix Auger-Aliassime | Tennis | 13 | $4,000 | Quebec City Region (Ancienne Lorette) | Elite |
| Louis Krieber-Gagnon | Judo | 17 | $4,000 | Montreal (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce) | Excellence |
| Audrey McManiman | Snowboarding(Freestyle/Half-pipe) | 18 | $4,000 | St. Ambroise de Kildare | Elite |
| Kristel Ngarlem | Weightlifting | 18 | $4,000 | Montreal (Rosemont) | Elite |
| Maxim Poulin | Sprint CanoeKayak | 19 | $4,000 | Quebec City Region (Lac Beauport) | Excellence |
| Pierre-Luc Poulin | Sprint CanoeKayak | 17 | $4,000 | Quebec City Region (Lac Beauport) | Elite |
| Genève Bélanger | Speedskating – Short track | 16 | $4,000 | Montreal (St. Michel) | Excellence |
| Laurie Blouin | Snowboarding(Freestyle) | 17 | $4,000 | Stoneham / Tewkesbury | Excellence |
| Chloé Dufour-Lapointe | Freestyle Ski - Moguls | 21 | $5,000 | Montreal (Riviere-des-Prairies) | Excellence |
| Justine Dufour-Lapointe | Freestyle Ski - Moguls | 19 | $5,000 | Montreal (Riviere-des-Prairies) | Excellence |
| JérémyGagnon-Laparé | Soccer | 18 | $2,000 | Magog | Excellence |
| Valérie Maltais | Speedskating – Short track | 23 | $5,000 | Saguenay | Excellence |
| Yacine Ait-Slimane | Soccer | 18 | $2,000 | St. Constant | Academy |
| Marco Dominguez | Soccer | 17 | $2,000 | Montreal (St. Michel) | Academy |
| Esleyder Luarca | Soccer | 15 | $2,000 | Montreal (Villeray) | Academy |
| Aron Mkungilwa | Soccer | 17 | $2,000 | Joliette | Academy |
*Montreal Impact Academy
