Dixon will work alongside fellow Paralympic swimming gold medal winner Elisabeth Walker-Young, appointed as Chef de Mission for the Toronto 2015 host nation back in May.

Her responsibilities will include participation in site visits, regular conference calls and/or mission staff meetings, national events, selection trials, training events, the Chef de Mission Seminar, Mission Orientation Seminar and the Games themselves, due to run from August 7 to 15.

Walker-Young said: "Stephanie was a rookie when I was a veteran team captain of the Canadian swim team in the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games.

"I saw drive, passion and tremendous work ethic in the young rookie Stephanie Dixon.

"It has been a pleasure to see her grow as an athlete and achieve tremendous successes in the pool.

"I am also heartened in seeing her convert the skills learned as an elite athlete to life after sport.

"Stephanie brings a more recent athlete experience to Mission Staff and a natural rapport-building ability that I know will be invaluable both leading up to and during the Games."

Dixon competed at three Paralympic Games, winning five gold medals at Sydney 2000 and one apiece at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.

She also picked up 10 silver and two bronze medals across these three Games.

Dixon also won six gold medals and a silver at the 2007 Parapan Games in Rio de Janeiro. 

Dixon has won a total of 19 medals at Paralympic Games ©Getty Images



Since retiring, the 30-year-old has worked on promoting Para-sport across Canada and is an athlete mentor on the Canadian Bank Imperial Bank of Commerce, a Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) partner.

The Brampton native was also part of the CPC's broadcast teams at the 2013 International Paralympic Committee Swimming World Championships in Montreal and Sochi 2014.

"I could not be more excited and honoured to be named Assistant Chef de Mission for the 2015 Parapan American Games," said Dixon, who will be overseeing around 200 Canadian athletes at the Games next year.

"The Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games are close to my heart, as I am from that area myself.

"I cannot wait to see Canada's top athletes face off against some of the best in the world on home soil.

"I know what an important competition these Games are for athletes to build momentum in pursuit of success on the international stage and I'm excited to assist Chef de Mission Elisabeth Walker-Young in mentoring and supporting our Canadian athletes.

"I have an incredible passion for the Paralympic Movement as it has largely shaped the person who I have become and I have witnessed it change the lives of others.

"The awareness of the Paralympics has grown considerably across the world and I know that here in Canada, we are in the midst of big, groundbreaking changes in the way that Canadians perceive the nature of sport, the limitations of what is possible and what it truly means to be a champion.

"My hope is that our Canadian athletes know that their country is behind them 100 percent, and for our country to see sport like they have never seen it before."

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