Gordie Howe Two different events. High Jumper Derek Drouin takes the 6th spot on our list of The Top 10 Canadian Athletes. Ethel May Smith (July 5, 1907 - December 31, 1979) was a sprinter from Canada who won two medals at the Amsterdam 1928 Summer Olympics: a bronze medal in the 100 m, and a gold team medal in the 4 100 m relay. Today, Longo is an all-time great racing cyclist who still competes on the Masters circuits in her 60s. Their homecoming to Toronto was nuts. Joseph Guillemot could be considered an anomaly in sports history. The first of five hockey players on the list is also the most obvious. He was the inspiration for the 1998 movie My Giant. Called the greatest hockey player of all time by many and its unlikely hell lose that title anytime soon. France is most noted for its amazing breads, cheeses, and wines; art, architecture, and fashion; and of course, its fabulous destinations. His best-known role was Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride in 1987. Ben Johnson is a Canadian retired sprinter who was adjudged the world's fastest man during the 198788 season after he broke the 60m and 100m indoor world records. Nicknamed The Predator, Patrick Ct is a former Canadian boxer and MMA fighter. Elected in the Montral suburb of Verchres, he became co-premier of the unified Province of Canada along with John A. Macdonald. And this weekend Sidney Crosby will be taking his second Stanley Cup home to his Nova Scotia hometown. There are parks and lakes and mountain peaks and streets and buildings named after her. From 1915 to 1940, the Edmonton Grads won 502 games and lost only 20, beating the world's best teams from the United States and Europe. Ren Lacoste invented this signature polo shirt, but thats not all. An advocate for Indigenous issues, Chalmers has made efforts to connect with and inspire . He was 16 when he began his martial arts training with the Canadian Army. Indigenous Canadian actor Jay Silverheels gained international popularity for playing Tonto, the Native American companion of the protagonist in the American western TV series The Lone Ranger. Wiggins entered the NBA in 2014 after being chosen first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Entry Draft. Five years later, he received his first players license. Throughout his career, he represented Canada at two Olympics, winning two golds and one silver and would later go on to help promote sport in the country. Crosbys dominance has continued since then, as he has captained the Penguins to 2 Stanley Cup championships, won 2 Hart trophies (NHL MVP), 2 Art Ross trophies (NHL scoring title), and a Conn Smythe trophy (playoff MVP). Honourable mentions: Marnie McBean and Kathleen Heddle. He also scored one the most famous goals in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup (pictured above). Hometown: Manchester, Jamaica (immigrated to Oakville, Ontario), Hometown: Johannesburg, South Africa (immigrated to Regina, Saskatchewan then Victoria, B.C. Nancy Greene, nicknamed Tiger for her aggressive style of skiing, is one of the most decorated alpine skiers in Canadian history. You probably think of hockey and a variety of other winter sports, anything that requires snow and ice. Though Browning never won an Olympic medal, he is one of the most successful and popular Canadian figure skaters of all time. This International Womens Day, lets celebrate some of Canada's female heroes of the past and not-so distant past. And the rest is history. Shes considered one of the best female soccer players of all time and has 296 appearances and 186 goals for Canada. Jenkins wasnt just a talented baseball player either, as he spent a few off-seasons playing for the Harlem Globetrotters. Ren Lacoste had fared well in his athletics career as well. With millions of followers, he is definitely one of France most famous athletes on social media. She became a member of the Socit Notre-Dame de Montral and obtained funding from benefactor Anglique Bullion to establish a hospital on the island of Montral. He also won a gold medal at the 1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships. He is best known for winning the US Triple Crown in 1973, riding the famous American thoroughbred racehorse, Secretariat. She intends to go for gold again with the Stars and Stripes at Beijing 2022. Gordie Howe Hometown: Floral, Saskatchewan. To celebrate Canadas 150th anniversary, KelownaNow is shining a light on our amazing country. . What comes to mind when you think of Canada and sports? In span of his career, he had 10 grand slams to boot, 24 career titles, and was at No. bizarre and unfortunate Olympic qualifying rules and domestic standards, She later stepped down as head of the WADA athlete's committee, CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. In the unpredictable world of bobsleigh, Humphries - the top driver in the world - was looking for every little edge to be the best. Donnie Wahlberg. Canadian Olympic School Program: Black History Collection. Legendary Canadian female athletes you should know | CBC Sports Loaded. Canada's national men's soccer team leaves much to be desired and are currently ranked 78th in the world. We kicked off our series of Canada 150 articles last week with Canadas 15 best ski resorts. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. His career with the Phoenix Suns was outstanding and saw him awarded as NBAs MVP twice. Mark McKoy is a three-time Commonwealth champion, having won gold medals at the 1982 and 1986 Commonwealth Games. He won a Grey Cup, a Memorial Cup, two Stanley Cups and even a baseball championship in the International League. The Ontario native has also represented Canada on the international stage several times, including being a member of the bronze medal winning squad at the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship. Great achievements in Canadian sports are recognized by Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. Her six career medals ties her with speed skating teammate Cindy Klassen as Canada's most-decorated Olympian. In 1942, she ran for federal election as a Liberal and lost. Crosby also won two Olympic gold medals with Canada, including the 2010 final, where he scored a famous golden goal in the finals. Makes sense, considering the countrys climate and geography. 10 Ice hockey. Nicknamed Tiger (well before the golfer! She moved on to ski cross in Sochi 2014 and was predicted to be in the medal hunt at PyeongChang 2018 until she broke both legs in a World Cup event just before the Games. In 1970, then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau appointed Casgrain to the Canadian Senate. 1. Most people (athletes included) tend to like either the summer or the winter. She was also part of the team that won bronze medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. JB Blanc (born 1969), actor; father of French descent. He won a gold medal at the 1934 British Empire Games in London, where he represented British Guiana. Thousands and thousands of girls hit the slopes to be just like Nancy. In fact, his plan for Canadian independence from the British Parliament became reality in 1931, with the signing of the Statute of Westminster. At 26 years old, Raonic is in the prime of his career, so look for him to be a major player on the ATP tour in the future. Top 10 Canadian Athletes Right Now Sidney Crosby - Hockey Penny Oleksiak - Swimming Andre De Grasse - Track and field Milos Raonic - Tennis Damian Warner Derek Drouin - High jumper Brooke Henderson - Golf Christine Sinclair - Soccer Connor McDavid - Hockey Andrew Wiggins - Basketball Eugenie Bouchard - Tennis In 2004, he was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. FouKi See on Instagram Army Howard Army Howard competes in the 4th round of the 100m at the Inter-Allied Games at the Pershing Stadium in Paris in July 1919. While there are 15 deserving athletes on this list, there are a number of incredible Canadian athletes that didnt make the cut, which wasnt an easy decision. Drouin also won gold at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, and won 5 NCAA titles while competing for the Indiana Hoosiers. Sharing the stories and celebrating the contributions of inspiring Black Canadian athletes . She also set Canadian womens records in the 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly. Jeannie Longos athletic career began in her hometown in the French Alps. His amazing career is one of the longest in NHL history, and though we sadly lost him earlier this year, hell always remain a huge part of Canadian history. Mathieu Drouin is the culture and education manager at Muse des Ursulines de Qubec City. Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a former football star who played as an attacking midfielder. Introducing a few of the many Montralers who became important figures in Canadian history. Donovan Bailey is a retired Jamaican-Canadian sprinter. anniversary in 2015, theEncyclopediadrew up the following list of 30 francophones from all corners of French-speaking Canada who have achieved fame in various fields. However, the most impressive thing about Oleksiak may be that shes only 16 years of age; more medals and accolades appear to be in her future. They're the most successful team in Canadian history, winning an astounding 95 per cent of their matches. Just a few years after Ben Johnson had his Olympic medals stripped due to doping, Donovan Bailey captured the hearts of a nation during the 1996 Atlanta games. Mark McKoy is a Canadian former track and field athlete. Name just about any hockey record and youll see that the legendary 99 holds it firmly. Overall, Wickenheiser's played in six Olympic Games. (Photo: National Archives Bookstore.) Known for his mix of speed, power, skill, and grit. As a young man, he excelled in athletics and became a lacrosse player. By the 1960s, his idea of a bicultural Canada had made its way to Parliament, where it was promoted by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Milos Raonic and Denis Shapovalov showed the world that Canadians can play tennis as well as the rest of them. 47in world ranking. updated May 7, 2015, 5:50 pm, by Zidane, popularly called Zizou by his adoring fans, is one of the eight players to have won the World Cup, the Ballon dOr, and the Champions League. More common known as GSP, Georges St. Pierre was a large factor in turning the UFC from a marginally watched sport into the powerhouse it is today. Lou Marsh was a Canadian athlete who participated in a wide variety of sports during his playing career. Here we profile the ultimate fighter for clean sport and a woman who changes the conversation around ability. Kurt Browning. Given the popularity of hockey in Canada, its only fitting a hockey player tops this list of the Top 10 Canadian Athletes. Before there was Montral, there was Hochelaga a sixteenth-century agricultural community that mysteriously vanished. The 20 year old McDavid is currently in his 2nd season with the NHLs Edmonton Oilers, and is the teams captain. Warner picked up his first Olympic medal, a bronze, at the 2016 Rio Games, and also has silver and bronze medals from the 2015 and 2013 World Championships. He is also a former Commonwealth Champion and a 2-time World Champion. She retired in January of this year with 168 goals and 211 assists to her name in just 276 career games. Mbapp was born to a Cameroonian father and an Algerian mother in Paris. Clara Hughes (Road Cycling/Speed Skating) Hughes has won six Olympic medals in her . A significant milestone, but even more significant is that hes also the first Canadian to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Article Angela Chalmers. The 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, women were allowed to compete in track and field for the first time and the Canadian women headed straight to the podium. Arianne Moffatt, from Quebec City, is a multi-talented singer that is undefinable by any genre standards. The world-famous Andr the Giant died of congestive heart failure in Paris in 1993, after attending his fathers funeral. Named the Female Athlete of the First Half-Century by Canada, she also excelled in hockey, apart from track and field. With an HPI of . Given the overwhelming reasons to be proud of our nations athletic output, what better time to look at the all time great athletes Canada hasgiven the sports world. She is the first Canadian-born player representing Canada to reach the finals of a Grand Slam in singles. There are a number of Canadians doing good things on the PGA Tour, but that wasnt always the case. In 1951, she was elected as the leader of the Qubec wing of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, becoming the first woman to head a Canadian political party. Just before winning four consecutive Olympic gold medals in hockey, Wickenheiser starred for the softball team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She was a downhill skier before switching to cycling at the urging of her coach, Patrice Ciprelli, who later became her husband. Alexandre Lippmann, French fencer (pe), Olympic champion. There are a few incredible young athletes in Canada that have a good chance of making it onto this list by the time their careers are done. Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet. As the first female leader of a political party in Canada, Thrse Casgrain changed the political landscape forever. She was named Canadas Athlete of the Year in 1967 and followed it up with another World Cup title in 1968, as well as a gold and silver medal in the Olympics and another gold medal at the world championships. Le May Doan was the first female speed skater to break the 38-second barrier in the 500-metre event and is also the first Canadian to successfully defend a gold medal in the same event at an Olympics. They became just the third trio of sisters to compete in the same individual event at the Winter Games. Throughout his career in both politics and journalism, he fought for the protection of minorities namely Canadians in the Commonwealth and French-Canadians outside Qubec. Samir Hussein 23/35 Michael Bubl Born in Burnaby, British Columbia, the crooner is one of Canada's most. He was a goal scorer, a puck-handler, a scrapper, a bruiser, a leader, a right-hand man. When it comes to sports in which Canadians are underrepresented, being the first goes a long way. 2 female tennis player in the world, withdrew from the French Open on Monday after she was fined $15,000 for failing to attend a post-match press conference. By the Sapporo Olympics of 1972, seven of Canada's nine nordic skiers were from the Mackenzie Delta. Not the athlete with the most titles under his belt or the most trophies to show off, but rather Fox is remembered as a great Canadian athlete due to his amazing bravery in the face of something terrifying. He has won two silver medals and three bronze medals in two Olympic Games so far. With so many trailblazers in this country, this list could run off the page. Birthplace: Bruges, Belgium; raised in France. Similarly to Andre De Grasse, Penny Oleksiak used the 2016 Summer Olympics as a means to catapult herself to the forefront of her sport. With an HPI of . The project was supported by the Governor General Lord Durham but was rejected by London. He was the youngest player to ever win 2 titles at 3 tennis grand slams and the first one to win the French Championship Grand Slam title in mens single in 1925. In that vein, here are, in my opinion, the five greatest French-speaking skaters and goalies of all time. He is the eighth of nine children of Alma Elaine Conroy (ne Donnelly), a . Three-time Olympian Canadian track and field athlete and bobsledder Phylicia George is also an Olympic bronze medalist in the two-woman bobsleigh category. He spent five years inside the top 10 of the World Golf Rankings, sandwiched around his historic Masters win in 2003. Now, Humphries competes for the United States after an acrimonious split from the Canadian program. While he started his training in ice hockey at age 5, he later switched to figure skating. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin 22/35 Rachel McAdams This Mean Girl was born in London, Ontario. Tony Parkers dad and two siblings also played professional basketball. The moment she won Canada's first-ever cross-country medal at an Olympic Games, Beckie Scott made history, but she could not have known how that achievement would forge the next part of her life. 4 Biathlon. Olympic gold medalist Canadian athlete Fanny Bobbie Rosenfeld earned the nickname Bobbie for the bob cut she sported. She'll look to win her first LPGA major since 2016 in April. A cyclist and a speed skater, she set records for not only Canadians, but athletes from all over the world. Scarborough, Ontarios Andre De Grasse was a relatively late bloomer in the sport of track and field, as he didnt seriously begin racing until he was partway through high school. He also led the 4 x 100m relay team to a gold medal in the same Olympics. Eisler also won a gold medal, three silver medals, and two bronze medals at the World Championships between 1985 and 1994. Her bronze in the 5,000 metres in Vancouver was epic. 48.39, Jean Collas is the 6th most famous French Athlete. In his early days, he excelled in high jump and discus throw, too. For a time, Canadian sprinter Donovan Bailey held the record as the fastest man in the world. He gave up his lucrative running career in 1916 to enlist in the Canadian Armed Forces where his endurance was invaluable as a dispatch carrier in France; he was wounded twice and declared dead once. Ethel Smith (1907 - 1979). Similarly to Wiggins, Connor McDavid is a young superstar taking his sport by storm. Is it better for French-speaking and English-speaking friends to go to school together, or to have a chance to learn in their own language? She sings in both French and English, layering beautiful vocal hooks and incredible musical arrangements into one awesome package. After being elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada, Papineau became the leader of the Parti Canadien, which later became the Patriote party. Christine Sinclair, one of the best female soccer players ever, comes in at #8 on our list. Probably Canada's most famous Paralympic athlete, he's won three golds, two silvers and one bronze between 1980 and 1984. But she got her first Olympic start in Vancouver 2010 in alpine skiing. She joined the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) athlete committee in 2005 and in 2012 was appointed to their executive committee. Canadas National History Society acknowledges that we meet and work across the ancestral lands of many Indigenous peoples: First Nations, Inuit, and Mtis. Canada's national women's soccer team, on the other hand, is one of the best in the world and are currently ranked fourth. Cave's death came four days after he had emergency surgery to remove a colloid cyst, which the Canadian Press reports was putting pressure on his brain . He was later dubbed The Eighth Wonder of the World.. Kim Brunhuber, former CBC anchor Pierre Bruneau, TVA Nathalie Chung, RDI / SRC Bernard Derome, SRC / RDI Simon Durivage, RDI / SRC Cline Galipeau, SRC / RDI Bill Haugland, CTV Jean-Luc Mongrain, TQS, TVA Pascale Nadeau, SRC Mutsumi Takahashi, CTV Sophie Thibault, TVA Todd van der Heyden, CTV Artists and entertainers [ edit] Like Terry Fox, Rick Hansen is often honoured for his courage and strength against adversity, but hes also celebrated as a truly gifted athlete. She's got her eyes on a fourth Games in Tokyo this summer. Simmerling made history at Rio 2016 by becoming the first Canadian athlete to compete in three different sports in three different Olympic Games. His professional athletics career began at the age of 16, winning a Ligue 1 title, Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year, and the Golden Boy award. Weve made a list of some of the most influential, and while its impossible to rank the best of the best, were sure youll agree that each of the athletes on this list has had a big impact on sports in Canada. It may be shocking to see the likes of Lemieux, Roy and Messier missing but rest assured their talents are not overlooked. She's a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, the IIHF Hall of Fame and is currently the Assistant Director of Player Development for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Avril Lavigne, Singer Avril Lavigne VEVO Avril Lavigne has been making music almost her whole life, and she is without a doubt one of the most successful musicians ever to come out of Canada. Donovan Bailey She returned to her first love of speed skating in 2002, winning medals in three straight Winter Olympics. Donald Edmond "Donnie" Wahlberg Jr. was born on August 17, 1969 in Boston, Massachusetts into a family of Swedish (from his paternal grandfather), Irish, and more distant French-Canadian, English, and Scottish, descent. Access KelownaNow using your Facebook account, or by entering your information below. She is currently captaining the national team and the NWSL club Portland Thorns FC. Gretzky is the only NHL player to ever total more than 200 points in a single season, and he didnt just do it once, but four times. Despite the poor showing of Canadian teams during this past hockey season, right now is a pretty exciting time for Canadian athletes. 5 Bobsleigh. The Society is committed to sharing and amplifying Indigenous histories, perspectives, and voices and walking together with Indigenous peoples on the path to truth and reconciliation. Mike Weir was one of the first Canadians to achieve success at the highest level in golf. You probably don't know these names, but you should. 1 ranking from 1926 to 1927. She later stepped down as head of the WADA athlete's committee, but not before making sure a charter of rights for athletes was approved for entry into the WADA archives. Thousands of pieces form Montrals historical patchwork quilt. Throughout the years, hundreds of Canadian athletes have made their mark on the world of sport and represented Canada at the highest level. Brooke has been a top-10 competitor on the LPGA for a couple years now, but she's still just 21 years old. French is also the first official language spoken by 22 per cent of the Canadian population. Lou Marsh also worked for the Toronto Star for more than four decades and is often counted among the pioneers of sports journalism in the country. Armand Mouyal, French fencer (pe), national champion Claude Netter, French fencer (foil), Olympic champion Christian d'Oriola, French Olympic and World Champion, named "Fencer of the 20th Century" by the FIE, International Fencing Federation, in 2001. The Haitian-born athlete had moved to Canada as a child. In 2022, Andre De Grasse won a gold medal at the World Championships. He hasnt left the sport entirely, playing for charity and coaching after his retirement. The face of womens Canadian soccer and likely the greatest Canadian soccer player ever. He has won two silver medals and three bronze medals in two Olympic Games so far. He is the youngest French player to score at a World Cup, and the second teenager, next to Pel, to score in a World Cup Final. Klassen won five medals for Team Canada, despite the fact that there are far less medals available in the Winter Games. His championship wins and titles are too many to name, but hes won the Indianapolis 500, and the Formula One World Championshiponly the third racer to have done so and the first Canadian to win the Indy 500 and F-1 championships. If you dont already know these athletes, you should. Shes also Canadas most decorated female athlete, with 24 medals in speed skating. Andre De Grasse is a Canadian track and field athlete best known for winning the gold medal in the men's 200 metres event at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Or, in the case of the Canadian women's hockey team, back-to-back-to-back-to-back. A self-proclaimed Francophile, I love everything France. Andrew Stawicki/Toronto Star via Getty Images. Drouin is the reigning Olympic and World Champion in Mens High Jump, as he won gold at the 2015 World Championships and 2016 Olympics. In 1979, he wasinductedintothe National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. She retired after 2012 London Games after finishing fifth in the time trial. Lloyd Eisler is a Canadian former pairs skater who won the Olympic bronze medal in 1992 and 1994 along with his partner Isabelle Brasseur. Let's take an appreciation for how difficult it is to OWN your sport for back-to-back Olympics. He campaigned for greater independence for Lower Canada, which was dominated by an influential British minority. He later quit sports to pursue acting. Rachel Homan is a Canadian professional curler best known for winning the gold medal at the 2017 World Curling Championships. Andr the Giant also became a Hollywood actor, debuting as Sasquatch (Bigfoot) in 1976 in a two-part episode aired on the TV series The Six Million Dollar Man. He defended his world title eight times before coming out of four-year retirement to win the middleweight world title in 2017. Our focus was to represent aboriginal people on the world stage in sport and I think that's what we did.". Wickenheiser also represented Canada once in the Summer Olympics as a part of the softball team. He returned to Canada after being granted amnesty in 1844. Her fierce stance against drug cheats earned her respect from athletes worldwide, but also the ire of the suits in the room. He bred and raced Standardbred horses as a hobby. In 1834, the Patriotes won a large majority in the Legislative Assembly and prepared a series of reforms, dubbed the Ninety-Two Resolutions, which would allow French Canadians to win power in Lower Canada through responsible government. Despite a short career, Owen Hart is one of the greatest Canadian wrestlers of all time. Percy Williams is widely regarded as the greatest Canadian Olympic athlete of all time. Initially, Hughes won two bronze medals in cycling at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games. The list is in alphabetical order based on last name. Her hard work and leadership provide an excellent example for other aspiring athletes. Jeannie Longo's athletic career began in her hometown in the French Alps. Adriana John To mark its 30th Full statement, Copyright 2023Canadas History Society | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions, Website designed and developed by ecentricarts.com, Historical Thinking Community of Practice. Between Shirley and Sharon, they won 48 Canadian championships. Widely regarded as Canadas top female athlete of the 20th century, Greene was a trailblazer for female Canadian athletes. For the Firths, it was beyond personal, they were acutely aware of representing their culture, too. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); A long-time member of the Canadian national team, Sinclair currently has the 2nd most international goals in female soccer history. McBean, one of Canada's most decorated Olympians, and Heddle captured the gold in the coxless pair at Barcelona 1992 and followed it up with gold in the double sculls at Atlanta 1996. Born in a poor neighboorhood in the 15th arrondissement of Marseille, Zidane started playing football at age 5. Harold Ballard was a Canadian sportsman and businessman. The former Canadian senator is better known as the best alpine skier of her day. He owned the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL and their home arena, Maple Leaf Gardens. Donovan Bailey Hometown: Manchester, Jamaica (immigrated to Oakville, Ontario). Hockey has proven that Canada has its fair share of fighters, but not too many of us make a splash in the world of boxing. In 2019, she already has two top-10 finishes under her belt and in 2018 she became the first Canadian woman to win the Canadian Women's Open in 45 years. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. Fiction Feature: Its Manitoba in 1888. As a cyclist, Hughes competed at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta where she raced to bronze in both the road race and time trial. In 1996, Tom Longboat was honored posthumously with an induction into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Although Im from the Philippines, my location independent career took me to over 40 countries and lived in 4 continents in the last 10 years, including France. Perhaps no other name in the history of French sports is more popular today than Lacoste. Canadian teammate Ethel Catherwood won gold in high jump.
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