Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay Torchbearers
Author: Canadian Tourism Commission
Published: 2010/03/07 - Updated: 2026/02/20
Publication Type: Informative
Category Topic: 2010 Vancouver - Related Publications
Contents: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This report, sourced from the Canadian Tourism Commission, covers the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay and its international torchbearers, including Japanese wheelchair basketball star Naoki Yasu and U.S. visually-impaired alpine skier Caitlin Sarubbi. The relay, presented by Coca-Cola and RBC with support from the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia, carried the Paralympic flame through 11 communities over 10 days ahead of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. The information provides a useful record of how the Paralympic movement highlights athletic achievement among people with disabilities on a global stage, and documents the involvement of more than 600 torchbearers and over 1,000 athletes from 40 countries who participated in the Games held in Vancouver and Whistler from March 12 to 21, 2010 - Disabled World (DW).
- Topic Definition: Paralympic Torch Relay
The Paralympic Torch Relay is a ceremonial event preceding the Paralympic Games in which torchbearers carry the Paralympic flame through host communities on its way to the opening ceremony. Modeled on the Olympic torch relay tradition, it serves as both a celebration of Paralympic athletes and a public awareness effort for disability sport. Each relay is organized by the host city's organizing committee - in this case VANOC - and typically features torchbearers who are Paralympic athletes, community leaders, and advocates for disability inclusion. The relay symbolizes the core Paralympic values of courage, determination, and equality, and is designed to generate international attention for the Games while showcasing the host nation's communities and culture to a global audience.
Introduction
Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay
Canadian Tourism Commission proud to bring international torchbearers to the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay. A wheelchair basketball star from Japan and a US Paralympic skiing hopeful will join with Canadians to help the Paralympic Flame along its journey to Vancouver as we count down to the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.
Main Content
Naoki Yasu and Caitlin Sarubbi are international torchbearers with the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay, presented by Coca-Cola and RBC, and supported by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.
"More than 600 torchbearers will proudly carry the flame through 11 communities over 10 days," says Michele McKenzie, president and CEO of the CTC. "We are delighted that these two amazing athletes will be integral in spreading the excitement and inspiration of the Paralympic Torch Relay to global audiences."
Yasu will take up the flame in Whistler on Monday, March 8. He competed in the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens and was the first Japanese player to play professional wheelchair basketball in Europe.
Sarubbi will complete her relay run in Vancouver on Thursday, March 11. Sarubbi is a visually-impaired adaptive alpine skier who will be going for gold in Whistler starting on March 13. As part of the Canadian Tourism Commission's Connecting with Canadians program, Sarubbi and her family traveled to Newfoundland and Labrador last fall to enjoy some famous Atlantic Canadian hospitality and amazing tourism experiences.
"The Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay is designed to illuminate the extraordinary achievements of Paralympians and to celebrate the endless possibilities of the human spirit," said John Furlong, CEO for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). "We are delighted to include torchbearers from around the world to help broaden our reach in sharing the spirit of courage, determination, inspiration and equality that are at the core of the Paralympic Winter Games."
The international torchbearers were invited by VANOC in collaboration with the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC). They are carrying the flame to share the Paralympic spirit internationally while inspiring a global audience with images of Canada.
Their journeys will be documented and shared with their home countries for airing during the Paralympic Torch Relay and the 2010 Paralympic Games, captivating new international audiences to see a trip to Canada in their future plans.
The 2010 Paralympic Winter Games will be held in Vancouver and Whistler from Mar. 12-21, 2010. More than 1,000 athletes and teams officials from 40 countries will be vying for medals in five sports.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: The Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay stands as a meaningful chapter in the history of the Paralympic movement, not just as ceremony but as a deliberate effort to bring disability sport into mainstream international visibility. By selecting torchbearers like Naoki Yasu, who broke barriers as the first Japanese player in European professional wheelchair basketball, and Caitlin Sarubbi, a visually-impaired skier competing for gold on the world stage, the relay put real athletic accomplishment front and center. Events like these matter because they shift public perception of disability away from limitation and toward ability, and the decision to document these journeys for international broadcast audiences helped ensure that the message reached well beyond the host country - Disabled World (DW).Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Canadian Tourism Commission and published on 2010/03/07, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.