Atlético Ottawa duo Tyr Walker and Gabriel Antinoro have travelled to Mexico to train with affiliate club Atlético San Luis until mid-January.

Walker, 21, and Antinoro, 20, will benefit from Atlético’s global connections for the next three weeks, escaping the Canadian winter to train with some of Mexico’s most exciting young talent. Atlético San Luis won the Liga MX under-23 in the 2024 Apertura and will provide a different professional and personal challenge for the exciting young Canadian duo.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for two of the best young players in the Canadian Premier League,” said Manuel Vega, CEO, Atlético Ottawa. “We must continue to seize the opportunities our world-class global organization offers. Tyr and Gabriel will return to us with more experience as players and people, making new connections and showing the soccer world what kind of talent Canada can offer.”

Walker and Antinoro made crucial contributions to Ottawa’s 2024 Canadian Premier League (CPL) campaign. Together they accounted for 1,869 of league-mandated 2,000 minutes by Under-21 Canadian players. Walker, of Russell, Ont., featured 19 times in all competitions (including starting both of Ottawa’s playoff matches). Antinoro, of Montréal Que., scored one goal and provided two assists in 22 appearances in all competitions.

“I’m really excited to embrace this challenge,” said Walker. “Getting the opportunity to train with some of the best young players in North America, and to do it with my teammate and good friend Gabriel. From a personal point of view, the goal is to make sure I am fit and firing for pre-season and to improve technically. This will give me the platform to improve on last year. It’s also a chance to make new connections within the wider Atlético organization.”

Walker is under contract with Atlético until the end of the 2025 CPL season, while Ottawa recently announced that Antinoro signed a new three-year deal through 2027.