The countdown has begun! The 2026 edition of Canada’s largest multisport event will kick off in less than two months. From April 23 to May 3, 2026, more than 6,000 athletes will compete in 15 sports at the 43rd Défi sportif AlterGo. These athletes of all ages and all type of disabilities will range from up-and-coming to elite-level contenders.
The competitions will take place at 5 competition sites in the Greater Montreal area: Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard, Maurice-Richard arena and Jarry Park in Montreal, Centre sportif Édouard-Montpetit in Longueuil and Centre des glaces Gilles-Chabot in Boucherville.
Beyond its 11 days of competitions, the Défi sportif AlterGo is an inclusive event where “Everything becomes possible” for disabled athletes, a place to push their limits and celebrate their performances.
The school component motivates the younger athletes to stay active and helps develop their self-confidence. The provincial, national and international competitions allow athletes to compete locally and open doors to eventual participations in the Paralympic Games.
“We’re very pleased to announce the programming of the 43rd Défi sportif AlterGo. We are particularly excited to welcome the Boccia World Cup once again this year as well as the National Wheelchair Curling Championship. The school component will be amazing, just like always. Every year, this is the highlight for us: seeing these thousands of athletes in action and knowing we contribute in making their talent shine”, says Maxime Gagnon, chief executive officer of AlterGo.
“Everything becomes possible” thanks to 5 athlete ambassadors
For this 43rd edition, the 5 spokespersons of the Défi sportif AlterGo, Chantal Petitclerc, Jean-Marie Lapointe, Hugo Girard, Nancy Audet and Meeker Guerrier will join forces with 5 Athlete Ambassadors to promote the event and make it shine brighter.
These athletes are:
- Alison Levine (Montreal), elite boccia athlete among the best in the world, triple Paralympian.
- Carl Marquis (Magog), captain of the Magog wheelchair curling team, former para-athletics paralympic athlete with a bronze medal from the 1996 Atlanta Games.
- Mélanie Labelle (Montréal), Wheelchair rugby athlete on the national team, helping pioneer the women’s program in the sport.
- Éloic Constantineau (L’Assomption), parahockey playing as a forward for many teams including the Laval Rocket and the Junior Quebec team.
- Chloé Pelland Lambert (Longueuil), athlete in the school athletics competitions for many years.
Their stories, their talent and their passion for the Défi sportif AlterGo will without a doubt move the public who will discover them through the event.
“It’s my favourite event every year, I love the Défi sportif AlterGo, I love seeing the kids coming in and discovering sports. It’s really like seeing the future right besides us, it fills my heart” says Alison Levine, who took part in the event for the first time almost 20 years ago when she was a wheelchair basketball player.
“For me, the Défi sportif AlterGo, it’s grand, it’s as big as the Olympics. It’s such an amazing entry into sports for people who think Paralympics are unattainable, to be able to take part in competitions in this event, one step at a time, to climb the ladder” explains Carl Marquis, who has been ambassador athlete of the event in para-athletics 20 years or so ago.
Competitions not to be missed
The 2026 edition of Défi sportif AlterGo will be marked by the return of the Boccia World Cup in Montreal after a year of absence. This major competition, which will bring together a hundred athletes from around 20 countries, will take place at the Maurice-Richard arena from April 27 to May 3rd.
The National Wheelchair Curling Tournament is another major competition coming back this year to the Défi sportif AlterGo. It will be a perfect opportunity to see the best teams from across Canada compete at Boucherville’s Centre des glaces Gilles-Chabot from April 27 to May 3rd.
A Canadian Women’s Wheelchair Rugby Championship will take place from April 23 to 26 at Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard. A very special event, as it is the first ever national women’s competition of this sport ever held in Canada.
Like every year, the school component is eagerly awaited by close to 5000 young athletes. It is going to take place mostly at Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard, but it will launch on Thursday April 23 at Jarry Park with the ever so popular mini-marathon.
As always, all the Défi sportif AlterGo competitions are open to everyone and free to attend as a spectator.
Check out the full competitions schedule here
The Loto-Québec sports trial zone
The Loto-Québec sports trial zone will be back once again this year to liven up the Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard from April 27 to May 1st. There, everyone can try a variety of adaptive sports such as boccia, wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, parahockey, curling and climbing. A not-to-be-missed opportunity to try on parasport and have some fun!
