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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Winnipeg could get host duties for World Cup

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 05/3/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

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James Thorpe

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Josh McCharles

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Hector Vergara (CP)

WINNIPEG'S soccer community has its collective fingers crossed for some historic news.

On Friday, FIFA -- the Federation Internationale de Football Association -- and the Canadian Soccer Association will be announcing the host cities for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.

And Winnipeg is very much in the running.

"We are very confident that Winnipeg will be named one of the host cities for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup and we look forward to the announcement," said MSA executive director Héctor Vergara in a press release.

Working with their partners from the Province of Manitoba, the City of Winnipeg and the Blue Bombers, the local soccer community is confident it did enough to impress FIFA and CSA brass during a visit from their officials last October. Those delegations stopped here as part of a seven-city tour to assess facility and infrastructure potential across the country. The games would be played at the soon-to-be-opened Investors Field and could pump roughly $10 million into the city's economy.

FIFA and CSA will be making the announcement of all the host cities in Canada from Ottawa on Friday with the conference shown live on TSN and RDS at 1:30 p.m.

Thorpe, McCharles lauded

JAMES THORPE of the Collège Jeanne Sauvé badminton team and Josh McCharles of the Miami Marlins badminton team are the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association athletes of the week.

Thorpe, the Home Run Sports urban athlete of the week, is a boys' singles player who is undefeated this season heading into this weekend's provincial championships. He won the Zone 2 league and placed first at the Louis Riel tournament.

"James is an exceptional individual and athlete," said coach Jack Durand in a statement. "His dedication is remarkable as he is always striving to improve his game, but always has time to help others get better. He not only attends varsity badminton practices but he also attends all of our junior varsity practices as well to help mentor our young athletes."

McCharles was named the Tri-Star rural athlete after he and his doubles partner Jordan Madill won the Zone 4 boys' doubles badminton title and earned a berth in this weekend's provincial championships. During the season, the duo won the regional and Maples tournaments.

"On the court he plays the game the right way by having respect for his opponents and for the game," said coach Brent Unrau in a statement. "Beyond the court, Josh is heavily involved in the school and the community of Miami. Being a K-12 school, the elementary students and younger students really look up to Josh who is a first-class person in and out of school."

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 3, 2012 C2

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