Top Paralympic Athletes in town next weekend February 1, 2002 - The BC Breakers Invitational Tournament will be held next weekend, February 9-10, 2002 at Douglas College located at 700 Royal Ave. in New Westminster. Vancouver's Marni Abbott, arguably one of the top wheelchair basketball players in the world, will participate in the tournament as a member of Breakers. While athletes compete in Salt Lake City March 7-16, 2002 at the Paralympics, Abbott's Road to Athens begins now as the team starts preparing for the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece. "We've been down this road before," says Abbott who will go to Salt Lake City as part of the Vancouver/Whistler 2010 bid team. "We're two years out from Athens and our training programs have already started. There will be plenty of national team members competing this weekend." Both the Calgary Rocky Mountain Rollers and the Alberta Northern Lights boasts national team members. "We also will be hosting our next generations of Paralympians," adds Carrie Linegar, Managing Director of the BC Wheelchair Basketball Society. "The BC Juniors and the Canada Games Team are breeding grounds for future National Team players. We will be hosting the Junior Nationals in March so these athletes will see the kind of competition necessary to win at a top level." The tournament begins at 8:30 am Saturday and ends with a 2:15 p.m. game on Sunday. Saturday, February 9th 2002 8:30am Calgary vs. Breakers 10:15am CanGames vs. BC Open 12:00pm Edmonton vs. Breakers 1:45pm CanGames vs. BC Open 3:30pm Edmonton vs. Calgary Sunday, February 10th 2002 9:00am CanGames vs. Edmonton 10:45am Breakers vs. Edmonton 12:30pm CanGames vs. Calgary 2:15pm Calgary vs. Breakers The BC Wheelchair Basketball Society is a non-profit organization providing support to wheelchair basketball programs throughout British Columbia. Programs are offered to people who have physical disabilities and people who do not and to all age groups from four-year-olds to seniors. For further information please contact: Carrie Linegar BCWBS Tel: 604.737.3138 Email: bcwbs@telus.net