March 25, 2015 – The City of Oshawa is proud to announce Norma Douglas as the
Pictured here celebrating the announcement is (left to right) Matt Douglas, Cris Douglas, Norma Douglas, Mayor John Henry and Ryan Douglas. Missing from the photo is Norma’s grandson, Kyle Douglas, who celebrated via FaceTime.
“I feel very privileged – I never thought this would happen to me!” said Norma. “This is a nice finishing touch to my Pan Am Games experience; it’s like icing on the cake – a little extra at the end.” Mrs. Douglas’ love for the sport did not end when she got out of the pool; she became a well-known coach, synchronized swimming referee and a highly sought after judge. In addition to being
“I am looking forward to being part of the Pan Am Games again. My biggest memory from the 1955 Pan Am Games in
Norma founded the Oshawa Synchronized Swimming Club, now the Durham Synchro Club, in the early 1970s when her family moved to
According to Norma, the
Nowadays, Norma does not spend as much time in the pool, but ensures she stays active and healthy. “I won’t do anything differently than I normally do to [prepare for the relay]. I’ll walk on the treadmill daily, and do some walking outside.”
“Norma Douglas will proudly carry the Pan Am flame as
During the 41-day torch relay, each of the 3,000 torchbearers will complete, on average, a 200-metre relay segment. The torch will be carried by more than 60 modes of transportation and exceed 5,000 kilometres on the road and 15,000 kilometres by air.
“The torch is a unique symbol of the Pan Am Games and carries a powerful energy that will unite Canadians,” said Saäd Rafi, chief executive officer, TO2015. “The torchbearers will proudly carry the flame through more than 130 communities, igniting the Pan Am spirit as they go.”
Featured on the torch are the United We Play! pictograms — colourful depictions of people in motion —symbolizing the assembly of athletes through the celebration of sport and culture. The aluminum torch stands 65 centimetres high and weighs 1.2 kilograms (or roughly the same weight as a baseball bat). With a burn time of 10 to 12 minutes, the flame can withstand winds of up to 70 kilometres per hour and is visible in all kinds of weather conditions.