Show me the money :-)

OLYMPICS: 2008 BEIJING GAMES
Funding gives a little boost to summer athletes

JAMES CHRISTIE
February 28, 2008
Canada's summer athletes won't feel like second-class citizens next to their winter counterparts, now that the federal government has come through with funds to fuel the Road to Excellence program, says Alexandra Orlando, one of the world's top rhythmic gymnasts.

But it will still cost Orlando and her parents tens of thousands of dollars to keep chasing her Olympic dream to Beijing in the summer.

"I definitely felt the summer athletes were underappreciated," said the Toronto university student, whose coach left to take a post in Spain because there wasn't enough support to keep her coaching in Canada.

"It's too late to think of getting another coach. Mimi Masleva is one of the best and she's coached me since I was 7. So, when I need to get together with her for a coaching session, my family has to pay for a plane ticket to get me to Spain. It costs between $50,000 and $75,000 a year for me to stay in this sport at the top level.

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