Chilliwack’s Ben Hagkull is one of 55 young Canadian athletes from 40 different summer and winter sports who’ve been selected to receive a $10,000 grant.
Petro-Canada’s Fuelling Athletes and Coaching Excellence (FACE) program grant supports up-and-coming athletes when they need it most: when they are striving to represent Canada at the Olympic or Paralympic Games but don’t yet qualify for government funding.
Recipients are selected based on potential and Hagkull has lots.
A wheelchair basketball athlete since 2006, the Chilliwack secondary school student has represented British Columbia at several national championships as well as the 2015 Canada Games.
In 2017 he earned a roster spot on the Canadian Men’s U-23 National Team.
Past recipients of the FACE grant include Olympic medalists Patrick Chan (figure skating, silver), Hayley Wickenheiser (hockey, gold) and Mark Tewksbury, (swimming, gold).