Blythe Hartley kicks off the 2008 Olympic year, a year dedicated to her late brother

February 7, 2008

CALGARY – Blythe Hartley, 2004 Olympic bronze medallist and two-time world champion on 1M, is inviting the media on Thursday February 7th to Calgary’s Talisman Centre at 1:00 pm to talk about the upcoming Olympic year to which she is dedicating to her late brother Strachan Hartley. Individual interviews are available on-site and by phone.

Blythe will kick off the Olympic season at the FINA World Cup of diving in Beijing on February 19-24. She will compete in the 3M and 3M synchronized diving event.

Blythe lost her brother, Dr. Strachan Hartley, a CIS football all star, to cancer on July 5th, 2007. To remember him, Blythe and her family create a foundation in his name. The foundation is dedicated to furthering Strachan's life goal of making a difference in the world by providing under-privileged youth and families with life-enriching sports and educational programs that will help them reach their full potential. More information is avalaible at www.strachanhartleyfoundation.com.

Blythe and the Strachan Hartley Legacy Foundation will be joining together to celebrate sports and the positive role they play in people’s lives through the Make a Difference Marathon, a 14 day bike trip from Halifax to Victoria scheduled to arrive at the Olympic Diving Trials in Victoria on June 21st, 2008.

What: Blythe Hartley kicks off the 2008 diving season and is dedicating it to her late brother
Who: Blythe Hartley – Olympic medallist and two-time world champion
Where: Calgary – Talisman Center pool; 2225 McLeod Trail South
When: Thursday February 7th, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

A detailed biography on Blythe Hartley can be found at www.diving.ca.

About Strachan Hartley
Strachan Hartley was a CIS football all star, captain of the UBC Thunderbirds Vanier Cup Championship football team, captain of the McGill Redmen football team, 5-time academic All-Canadian, recipient of the Russ Jackson Award for the top community, academic and athletic achiever in Quebec and twice received the Canadian Interuniversity Sports Top 8 Award

In November of 2005, only seven months before graduating from medical school Strachan was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Against his doctor’s advice, Strachan continued his medical degree and graduated from medical school in 2006 finishing in the top 15% in his class.

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