By Tom Degun

Brian McKeever_campaign_launched_by_CPCJanuary 23 - The Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) have launched a new marketing campaign which sees their top athletes, such as seven-time Paralympic cross-country skiing champion Brain McKeever, feature in a series of 45-second animated mini-films or vignettes called "Super Athletes".


The series is designed to generate awareness and interest in Paralympic sport, to promote athletes and illustrate the highly competitive nature of the Games while every athlete is given a nickname that resonates with their attitude and their specific competitive profile and character.

The visually impaired McKeever is nicknamed "The Professor" in the series due to his ability to memorises every bump and turn in the race course as which he does due to the fact that he only has peripheral vision.

McKeever is one of four athletes to debut in the series along with wheelchair curler Sonja Gaudet, the Vancouver 2010 champion known as "The Brain", Canadian sledge hockey player and Afghanistan veteran Dominic Larocque dubbed "The Warrior" and alpine skier Viviane Forest, the Vancouver Paralympic gold medallist nicknamed "The Falcon".

CPC new_campaign_featuring_sledge_hockey_player
"The minute you get complacent in training is the minute you get left behind," said McKeever.

"It's a desire to better ourselves and it's an honour and a privilege to be able to compete at this level."

The quartet are the first four Paralympic athletes to feature in the series and in April this year, the CPC will unveil its summer sport 45-second animated mini-films featuring 15 athletes who will compete at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

"The vignettes grab viewers' attention by showing them a side of these Paralympic athletes they've never seen before," said CPC chief executive Henry Storgaard.

"The imagery is full of attitude and pride and it generates an inspirational, formidable, empowering feeling."

There is also a behind the scenes video profile on every Super Athlete that explores how they became involved in Paralympic sport and what it means to them to represent Canada.

The series was produced by Liz Dussault of FamilyStyle, in collaboration with CTV, Canada's Olympic Broadcast Consortium.

"We're trying to change the way that people look at athletes who have disabilities and I'd love for this campaign to inspire people to step up their game in any aspect of their lives," said Dussault.

"These are athletes fighting for their country and there's no sympathy needed from anyone.

"It's just true, bold inspiration."

Super Athletes has been launched at www.facebook.com/CDNParalympics and available to view online at www.Paralympic.ca/superathletes.

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