Montreal, January 16, 2024 — Now a tradition to kick off the new year, the Aléo and Georges St-Pierre Foundation awards ceremony recognized seven up-and-coming student-athletes in combat sports and gymnastics to encourage them to continue their journeys, notably through scholarships of 2,000 $ or 4,000 $.
The recipients had the chance to meet, interact with, and even demonstrate their discipline alongside the former mixed martial arts world champion, philanthropist, and entrepreneur Georges St-Pierre. Wishing to be present to meet his scholarship recipients, he paid particular attention and showed a genuine interest in each athlete regarding their successes and challenges.
One of the objectives of the FGSP Scholarship Program is to support student-athletes practicing a sport that Georges St-Pierre incorporated into his training: boxing, fencing, artistic gymnastics, judo, karate, wrestling, and taekwondo.
New this year: a scholarship recipient from the Georges St-Pierre Foundation's very first cohort, Amélie Henry, joined the presentation, but this time as a donor. A former taekwondo athlete, she participated in the 2023 Défi 808 Bonneville and thus raised funds to give back to the next generation. An Aléo Foundation ambassador, Amélie presented the taekwondo scholarship to Victor Beaudet, thus joining the movement of former recipients reinvesting in the future. The support of the Aléo Foundation enabled them to be propelled beyond sport, and today they in turn choose to invest.
The Maison du loisir et du sport was transformed into a dojo for the occasion as tatamis were installed for the presentation, allowing for friendly demonstrations of all the sports featured during the ceremony. Benoit Beaudoin, a mixed martial arts journalist and UFC event play-by-play announcer for RDS, hosted the activity, teaming up with François-Olivier Roberge, communications and philanthropy advisor at the Aléo Foundation, introducing the young recipients, their accomplishments, and their aspirations.
In their own words:
«All of these sports, both individually and in combination, have shaped who I have become. Sports have shaped my life and taught me lessons that have been—and will continue to be—useful to me throughout my life. It’s important to me to acknowledge this contribution and to encourage young people to follow this path. And personally, I’m always fascinated and inspired to get to know them as people and learn a little more about their journeys. It’s a precious moment for all of us.»
– Georges St-Pierre
«Nobody is better positioned to understand what bursary recipients are going through today. I was in their shoes in 2014 when Georges presented me with my bursary. Joining the Aléo Foundation family and receiving this recognition from Georges St-Pierre made a huge difference in my life. It is therefore very important for me, in turn, to give back to a rising athlete.»
– Amélie Henry
«Year after year, we are fortunate to collaborate with Georges St-Pierre, a world champion with a big heart who never hesitates to invest in the success of scholarship recipients. Georges not only awards scholarships, but also gives his time and shares his valuable knowledge with the recipients. A true giant in his own right, he is a first-rate ally who lives up to his global reputation.»
– Martin Lavigne, President of the Aléo Foundation
2024 Recipients of the
Georges St-Pierre Foundation Mentorship Program
Victor Beaudet
Taekwondo
17 years old – Montreal (Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles)
2000 $
- Gold medalist in the under-73-kg junior division at the 2023 U.S. Open in Las Vegas
- 5th-grade studente high school at the École Antoine-de-Saint-Exupéry
Victor had an exceptional year in 2023. The fifth-year studente A high school student at École Antoine-de-Saint-Exupéry won the Canadian junior championship in the under-73-kg division in January and, in March, took home the gold medal at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas in the junior division of the same weight class. The young man, who dreams of competing in the Olympics, is particularly proud of the perseverance he demonstrates, both at school and on the tatami.
***
Talia Birch
Boxing
18 years old – Vaudreuil-Dorion
4000 $
- Won the gold medal at the Canada Games in the under-53-kg weight class in March 2023
- Second-year natural sciences student at John Abbott CEGEP
Talia started boxing only two years ago as a physical activity to stay in shape! With a unique talent, she progressed rapidly to win gold at the Canada Games in the under-53 kg category in March 2023, the most memorable moment of her young career.
***
Xavier Brouillette
Judo
15 years old – Trois-Rivières
2000 $
- Canadian Under-16 Champion in the under-50-kg weight class
- Grade 10 student at Académie les Estacades
Xavier made a name for himself in 2023 by winning the silver medal at the Pan American Open in Montreal in the under-55-kg cadet division in November. Earlier that spring, the Seïkidokan Judo Club athlete had won the Canadian Under-16 championship in the under-50-kg weight class in Montreal. For Xavier, judo is more than just a sport—it’s a discipline that helps him in many aspects of his life.
***
Abderrahmane Guemmat
Karate
15 years old – Montreal (Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension)
2000 $
- Canadian champion in his age group in 2022 and 2023
- 3rd-year studente high school at Reine-Marie College
Abderrahmane is the Canadian champion in his age group for the second year in a row. The third-year studente A high school student at Collège Reine-Marie loves his sport—especially the one-on-one matches! He dreams of taking the top spot at the World Championships and the Olympics!
***
Floryan Lacroix
Fencing
18 years old – Brossard
2000 $
- 2023 Provincial Junior Champion in épée
- First-year studentRe Year in Pure and Applied Sciences at Marianopolis College
As the Quebec junior champion and Quebec senior runner-up in épée, Floryan has found his calling in fencing and plans to pursue it all the way to the end! His main goals for the coming months are to qualify for the junior national team and to represent Canada at the Junior World Championships!
***
Stella Letendre
Artistic gymnastics
13 years old – Sorel-Tracy
2000 $
- Canadian Novice Champion in Vaulting
- Second-year studente secondary school at École Les Trois Saisons in Boucherville
After distinguishing herself highly among novices, notably winning the 2023 Canadian vault title, Stella is now aiming to stand out in her very first national junior competition next month in Vancouver.
Cruz Lewis
Wrestling
17 years old – Montreal
2000 $
- 2023 Canadian U60kg Cadet Champion
- First-year studentRe year at Vanier College in Social Science
After winning gold at the Canada Games in the under-60 kg category in Niagara in 2022, Cruz continued to shine on the national stage, notably by winning the 2023 Canadian Championships in the under-60 kg cadet category.
***
About the Georges St-Pierre Foundation
The Georges St-Pierre Foundation is financially supported by Mr. Georges St-Pierre as well as his numerous sponsors. All funds raised by the Foundation are redistributed to the best organizations and programs dedicated to bullying prevention as well as the promotion of sports and the pursuit of education among youth. gspofficial.com/fr/fondation-gsp
About the Aléo Foundation
Established in 1985, the Fondation de l’athlète d’excellence (FAEQ) has awarded over $20 million in scholarships to nearly 4,000 outstanding student-athletes from across Quebec. With the goal of clarifying the organization's mission to propel athletes beyond sports, in 2022 the FAEQ rebranded and changed its name to Fondation Aléo. In addition to continuing its provision of scholarships and support services to tomorrow's leaders, it confirms its personalized approach, focusing on the overall well-being and development of its scholarship recipients in their performance.
For more information: fondationaleo.ca as well as the Aléo Foundation's official pages on our platforms:
LinkedIn
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Spotify
– 30 –
Annie Dubé
Director of Communications and Marketing
Aléo Foundation
438-884-6636
annie.dube@fondationaleo.ca
Philippe Lepage
Partner
LB3i Sports
plepage@lb3i.com
Aléo Foundation and Georges St-Pierre Foundation
Georges St-Pierre Supports and Inspires the Next Generation
Montreal, January 16, 2024 — In what has become a New Year's tradition, the Aléo and Georges St-Pierre Foundations recognized seven up-and-coming student-athletes who compete in combat sports and/or gymnastics, encouraging them to continue their athletic careers by awarding them scholarships worth $2,000 and $4,000.
The bursary recipients had the opportunity to meet, chat with, and provide a demonstration of their respective sport disciplines to former mixed martial arts world champion, philanthropist, and entrepreneur Georges St-Pierre. St-Pierre, who is always eager to meet his bursary recipients, took a special interest in each athlete’s successes and challenges.
One of the objectives of the GSP Sponsorship Program is to support student-athletes who practice sports that St-Pierre incorporated into his own training regimens: boxing, fencing, artistic gymnastics, judo, karate, wrestling, and taekwondo.
New this year: Amélie Henry, a bursary recipient from the very first cohort of the Georges St-Pierre Foundation Sponsorship Program, took part in the ceremony, this time as a donor. Henry, who formerly practiced taekwondo, participated in the 2023 Bonneville 808 Challenge to raise funds for the up-and-coming generation of athletes. As an ambassador for the Aléo Foundation, she awarded the taekwondo bursary to Victor Beaudet, thus joining other past recipients as they invest in the future. The support past recipients received from the Aléo Foundation propelled them beyond sport and are now paying it forward.
For the event, the Maison du Loisir et du Sport was transformed into a dojo, as tatamis were set up for the ceremony, allowing for demonstrations of all the sports represented amongst the recipients. Emcee Benoit Beaudoin, a journalist specializing in mixed martial arts and UFC Gala reporter for RDS, and François-Olivier Roberge, communications and philanthropy advisor at the Aléo Foundation, introduced the young recipients, highlighting their accomplishments and their aspirations.
In their own words:
“Individually and together, all these sports disciplines made me who I am. Sport has shaped my life. It has taught me things that have been and will continue to be useful to me for the rest of my life. It’s important to me to acknowledge its contributions and to encourage other young people to pursue this path. And on a personal level, I find it both fascinating and inspiring to get to know these young people as individuals and learn about their backgrounds. These are really precious moments, for all of us.”
– Georges St-Pierre
“No one understands better than I do what today’s bursary recipients are experiencing. I was in their place in 2014, when Georges presented me with my bursary. Becoming part of the Aléo Foundation family and being recognized by Georges St-Pierre made a huge difference in my life. It’s therefore very important to me to pay it forward to a young and developing athlete.”
– Amélie Henry
“Year after year, we have the good fortune to collaborate with world champion Georges St-Pierre, a man with a huge heart, who never hesitates to invest in the future success of the bursary recipients. Not only does he provide financial support, but he also shares his time and valuable knowledge with the recipients. He’s one of the greats, a first-rate ally who truly lives up to his international reputation.”
– Martin Lavigne, President, Aléo Foundation
Recipients of the 2024
Georges St-Pierre Foundation Sponsorship Program
Victor Beaudet
Taekwondo
17 years old – Montréal Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles
$2,000
- Junior under-73 kg gold medallist at the 2023 US Open in Las Vegas
- Secondary 5 student at Antoine de Saint-Exupéry High School
Victor Beaudet had an exceptional year in 2023. In January 2023, the secondary 5 student at Antoine de Saint-Exupéry High School won the title of Canadian Junior Champion in the under-73 kg class. In March, he won the gold medal in the same weight category at the US Open in Las Vegas. The Olympic hopeful is particularly proud of his perseverance, both at school and on the tatamis.
***
Talia Birch
Olympic boxing
18 years old – Vaudreuil-Dorion
$4,000
- Under-53 kg gold medallist at the Canada Games in March 2023
- Second-year science student at John Abbott College
Talia began boxing only two years ago, as a way to stay in shape. With her unique talent, she progressed at lightning speed, winning the gold medal at the Canada Games in the under-53 kg category in March 2023. It was the most memorable moment of her young career.
***
Xavier Brouillette
Judo
15 years old – Trois-Rivières
$2,000
- U16 Canadian champion in the under-50 kg weight division
- Secondary 4 student at Académie les Estacades
In November 2023, Xavier Brouillette won the silver medal at the Pan-American Open in Montréal in the cadet under-55 kg category. In May of the same year, Xavier, who trains with the Club de Judo Seïkidokan, had captured the title of U16 Canadian Champion in the under-50 kg weight division. For Xavier, judo is more than just a sport; it is a discipline that helps him in several aspects of his life.
***
Abderrahmane Guemmat
Karate
15 years old – Montréal Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension
$2,000
- 2022 and 2023 Canadian champion in his age group
- Secondary 3 student at Collège Reine-Marie
Reigning Canadian champion Abderrahmane won the title in his age group for two years in a row. The Secondary 3 student at Collège Reine-Marie loves his sport, especially the combats! He dreams of someday standing on top of the podium at the World Championships and the Olympics.
***
Floryan Lacroix
Fencing
18 years old – Brossard
$2,000
- 2023 provincial champion in the men’s junior epee category
- First-year student in pure and applied sciences at Marianopolis College
Floryan, the Quebec junior champion and Quebec senior runner-up in men’s epee, has found his path in fencing, and he intends to follow it all the way! His main goals for the coming months are to qualify for the junior national team and to represent Canada at the World Junior Championships!
***
Stella Letendre
Artistic gymnastics
13 years old – Sorel-Tracy
$2,000
- Novice Canadian champion in vault
- Secondary 2 student at Les Trois Saisons school in Boucherville
Having achieved great success in the novice category, including earning the title of 2023 Canadian Champion in vault, Stella is now aiming to make a name for herself at her first national junior competition next month in Vancouver.
***
Cruz Lewis
Wrestling
17 years old – Montréal
$2,000
- 2023 Canadian champion in the cadet under-60 kg category
- First-year social sciences student at Vanier College
After winning gold in the under-60 kg category at the 2022 Canada Games in Niagara, Cruz continued to shine on the national stage, winning the 2023 Canadian Championship in the under-60 kg cadet category.
***
About the Georges St-Pierre Foundation
The Georges St-Pierre Foundation is financially supported by Georges St-Pierre and his numerous sponsors. All funds raised by the Foundation are distributed to organizations and programs that are dedicated to the prevention of bullying and the promotion of sports and education for young people. gspofficial.com/gsp-foundation
About the Aléo Foundation
Founded in 1985, the Foundation for Athletic Excellence (FAEQ) has awarded more than $20 million in scholarships to nearly 4,000 student-athletes from across Québec. To better reflect the organization’s mission of helping athletes achieve more than just success in sports, the FAEQ changed its name and brand image in 2022, becoming the Aléo Foundation. In addition to continuing to provide scholarships and guidance services to the leaders of tomorrow, it maintains its personalized approach, in which the overall development and well-being of its scholarship recipients are at the heart of its activities.
For more information, please visit fondationaleo.ca or the Aléo Foundation's social media pages:
LinkedIn
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Spotify
– 30 –
Annie Dubé
Director, Marketing and Communications
Aleo Foundation
438-884-6636
annie.dube@fondationaleo.ca
Philippe Lepage
Associate
LB3i Sports
plepage@lb3i.com
