Stefanie Reid has also won a gold medal at the 2014 European Championships and 2017 World Championships. He also led the 4 x 100m relay team to a gold medal in the same Olympics. In 2001, he became part of NBAs San Antonio Spurs team as a pointguard and went on to become a 4-time NBA champion. Milos Raonic and Denis Shapovalov showed the world that Canadians can play tennis as well as the rest of them. She had been threatened with expulsion from the tournament if she continued to miss press obligations. 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. He had a permanently damaged lung due to an accident. After a spinal cord injury at 15, he became a paraplegic. 2016 may have been an even better year for De Grasse. Phil Edwards was a Guyanese-born Canadian track and field athlete who specialized in middle-distance events. Donovan Bailey is a retired Jamaican-Canadian sprinter. When they were six, their whole community was up and moved to Inuvik. He moved to Montral at the age of ten and entered the College de Montral. This is all thanks to his world-famous eponymous polo shirt brand with the crocodile logo. In fact, his plan for Canadian independence from the British Parliament became reality in 1931, with the signing of the Statute of Westminster. Together, they sang O Canada, tears of joy in their eyes, while nearby stood proud eldest sister Maxime, who finished 12th. Comments are welcome while open. He was the inspiration for the 1998 movie My Giant. She was also part of the team that won bronze medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. Lou Marsh was a Canadian athlete who participated in a wide variety of sports during his playing career. This whole list could be populated with hockey players, but to add a little variety, Ive chosen to limit their representation on the list. With an HPI of . Jeannie Longo's athletic career began in her hometown in the French Alps. Thanks for contributing to The Canadian Encyclopedia. At her first Olympics at London 2012, George made the 100 hurdles final, finishing sixth. When it comes to sports in which Canadians are underrepresented, being the first goes a long way. Full statement, Copyright 2023Canadas History Society | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions, Website designed and developed by ecentricarts.com, Historical Thinking Community of Practice. In 1980, Ron Turcotte was elected as a member of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. Had it not been for some bizarre and unfortunate Olympic qualifying rules and domestic standards,they would have competed at Tokyo 2020 in the debut of 3-on-3 basketball and been a medal favourite. He once held the world record for the 100 meters and is considered the greatest Canadian sprinter of all time. 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. 7 Curling. 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. List of people from Quebec - Wikipedia Great achievements in Canadian sports are recognized by Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. He is deemed one of the worlds greatest athletes. Football superstar Kylian Mbapp is a forward for the France national team and Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain. Fanny "Bobbie" Rosenfeld was the premiere sprinter of the Games. Primarily a speed skater, Hughes also won two bronze medals in cycling at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Sharon Firth said: "The world was so fascinated by us skinny indian girls and boys and how we danced on skis. When you have those kinds of stats, you can find yourself on a Google Doodle or in a Heritage Minute. Canadian teammate Ethel Catherwood won gold in high jump. One of the most beautiful and glamorous female tennis player, Genie Bouchard may not be ranked amongst top 10greatest Canadian athletes right now, but she deserve the honorable spot here. Jenkins wasnt just a talented baseball player either, as he spent a few off-seasons playing for the Harlem Globetrotters. Cindy Klassen Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba. She never toed the line. Guy Carleton (1724-1808) Sir Guy (later the Baron Dorchester) was an early and important British governor of the new English colony of Quebec, serving from 1768-1778 and then 1786-1796.He oversaw the implementation of the Quebec Act (1774), which aimed to create social peace with the French-Canadians while still asserting English political control. Quite eerily, MacLennan is coming back from another injury (a broken ankle) as she prepares to defend her Olympic crown a THIRD time, this time in Tokyo. Steve Nashs stature may not immediately make you regard him as an amazing basketball player, but you know what they say about judging books by their covers. That was then. Competing in his first Olympics, he won a silver medal in the 200m, and bronze medals in the 100m and 4 x 100m relay. Mario Lemieux was the first overall draft pick in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, and he certainly didnt disappoint. Eventually Bourassa resigned from the Liberal party and became an independent MP. 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. Despite the poor showing of Canadian teams during this past hockey season, right now is a pretty exciting time for Canadian athletes. The poorly organized revolt was quickly suppressed, and Papineau went into exile. She won three gold medals in total at the Commonwealth Games in 1990 and 1994. 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 . But for these 12 athletes, both seasons are their favourite as they have competed at the summer and winter Olympic Games. 5 Bobsleigh. He was traded to Minnesota before making his NBA debut, but quickly made a splash in the league, winning the Rookie of the Year award in his first season. JB Blanc (born 1969), actor; father of French descent. She returned to her first love of speed skating in 2002, winning medals in three straight Winter Olympics. Oleksiak is a freestyle and butterfly swimmer who won 4 medals (a record for a Canadian athlete at a single Summer Olympics) at the Rio Olympics: gold in the 100m freestyle, silver in the 100m butterfly, and bronze in both the 4 x 100m and 4 x 200m freestyle relays. She then represented Great Britain at the 2012 and 2016 Paralympic Games, winning a silver medal in both the events. Moyse chose to push for next-generation pilot, Alyssa Rissling. Few athletes on this list hold the type of legacy that Fox has among Canadians. Canadian track and field athlete and Paralympian Rick Hansen is a 3-time Paralympic Games champion. He campaigned for greater independence for Lower Canada, which was dominated by an influential British minority. Greene is now a large figure in the B.C. In the 2020 Olympics, Sinclair helped her team win the gold medal. 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. He was a goal scorer, a puck-handler, a scrapper, a bruiser, a leader, a right-hand man. . Conacher succeeded in a number of sports including football, hockey, baseball, lacrosse, boxing and wrestling. Greatest French Athletes | Famous Athletes from France | Pantheon The sport was dominated by Europeans at the time but Greene managed to clench the title, and went on the more glory including Olympic gold. You can help make our past relevant, engaging, empowering and accessible. They're the most successful team in Canadian history, winning an astounding 95 per cent of their matches. Melissa Benoist, American actress, of partial French descent through paternal great-grandfather. 15 Inspirational Asian Canadians to Know | Elle Canada Canadians may remember the iconic image of her skating around the Salt Lake City Oval with a Canada flag in her hand and a black stetson on her head. Simmerling made history at Rio 2016 by becoming the first Canadian athlete to compete in three different sports in three different Olympic Games. According to the 2016 census,Frenchwas the mother tongue language of 7,166,705 people, or 21 per cent of the Canadian population. Women's basketball didn't become an official Olympic sport until 1976. Initially, Hughes won two bronze medals in cycling at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games. In this category, we zone in on individual sports. Greatest Canadian Athletes | Famous Athletes from Canada | Pantheon Explore a timeline of Montreals 375-year history! While growing up in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, she was quite the fastball player, representing Canada at the world junior championships at one point. Tony Parkers dad and two siblings also played professional basketball. Whether it was her dominant gold medal victory in the giant slalom at the 1968 Grenoble Olympics (she won by a whopping 2.68 seconds!) Name just about any hockey record and youll see that the legendary 99 holds it firmly. Paris Olympics 2024: What We Know So Far - Journey To France, [] as the most environmentally friendly ever, with recycled medals, 100 percent renewable energy, and athletes sleeping on cardboard [], COPYRIGHT 2023 JOURNEY TO FRANCE | Birch on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, 7 Most Famous French Athletes Of All Time, https://www.facebook.com/Journey-To-France-100107831746499/. Despite the late entry into sprinting, De Grasse burst onto the scene in 2015 by winning the 100m and 200m events at the NCAA Championships while representing the University of Southern California. Mark McKoy is a Canadian former track and field athlete. You probably think of hockey and a variety of other winter sports, anything that requires snow and ice. With an HPI of . Canadians have never been the strongest contenders in the summer Olympics, but for an entire generation of Canadian children, Donovan Bailey represented the height of Canadian pride. List of French Americans - Wikipedia Hi, Im Christine a full-time traveler and career woman. Better known as GSP, Georges helped to turn the UFC and mixed martial arts mainstream. In 1970, then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau appointed Casgrain to the Canadian Senate. He won gold twice at the 1996 games and was the record-holder for the 100m sprint. 6 Cross-country skiing. . What else needs to be said? If you liked this article, please share it! After retiring from tennis in 1932, he became pretty busy with his inventions, filing 20 new patents between the 1960s and 80s. 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. Historic Figures | The Canada Guide Off the field, she continues to be a inspiration to countless Canadian girls with their own dreams of athletic glory. He holds the Canadian record in high jump, clearing 2.40m in 2014. 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. Andrew Stawicki/Toronto Star via Getty Images. 9 Freestyle skiing. In PyeongChang 2018, Humphries partnered with sprinter Phylicia George winning a bronze medal. She was a downhill skier before switching to cycling at the urging of her coach, Patrice Ciprelli, who later became her husband. He then set or equalled world records in the 60-yard indoor dash, the 100-yard dash, the 100 m sprint and the 440-yard relay. She did it in her 500-metre specialty at both the 1998 and 2002 Games. Two different events. Indigenous Athletes | The Canadian Encyclopedia Clara Hughes Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba. Ren Lacoste had fared well in his athletics career as well. He holds the Canadian record in the decathlon, and seeing how he has continued to improve throughout his career, look for him to keep making an impact at the international level in the future. Canadas national womens soccer team is currently ranked in the top ten, thanks in part to the skills of captain Christine Sinclair. Without a doubt, Canadas greatest basketball player. Top 10 Canadian Athletes in The World Right Now - Wonderslist She joined the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) athlete committee in 2005 and in 2012 was appointed to their executive committee. In span of his career, he had 10 grand slams to boot, 24 career titles, and was at No. She retired in January of this year with 168 goals and 211 assists to her name in just 276 career games. However, France has also produced some of the worlds most famous athletes. Jean Collas (3 July 1874 in Paris - 30 December 1928 in Asnires-sur-Seine, France) was a French rugby union player and tug of war competitor, who competed in the 1900 Summer Olympics. The 26 best Canadians of all time, RANKED! - Insider Widely regarded as Canadas top female athlete of the 20th century, Greene was a trailblazer for female Canadian athletes. But she got her first Olympic start in Vancouver 2010 in alpine skiing. Birthplace: Bruges, Belgium; raised in France. This International Women's Day, let's celebrate some of Canada's female heroes of the past and not-so distant past. Gretzky played twenty seasons in the NHL between 1979 and 1999, and despite being retired for more than twenty years, he still holds just about every offensive record there is. Impressed by Mance and her mission, Peltrie decided to join the group. Drouin is the reigning Olympic and World Champion in Mens High Jump, as he won gold at the 2015 World Championships and 2016 Olympics. Christian via wrestlingrumors.net Christian was pigeonholed for the longest time as a "tag team specialist" and for the most part he was exactly that early on in his career. He also has bronze medals from the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2013 World Championships. Basketball runs in the Parker family. It may be shocking to see the likes of Lemieux, Roy and Messier missing but rest assured their talents are not overlooked. The first Canadian-born athlete to hold an official world track record, three-time Olympian Harry Jerome broke the Canadian record in the 220-yard dash when he was only 18 years old. Similarly to Wiggins, Connor McDavid is a young superstar taking his sport by storm. This article originally appeared in the April-May 2017issue ofCanadas History. Canada's national women's soccer team, on the other hand, is one of the best in the world and are currently ranked fourth. One of the enduring memories of the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games was that of moguls gold medallist Justine Dufour-Lapointe standing on the top step of the podium, looking to her right and holding hands with her older sister Chloe, the silver medallist. Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet. Top 25 Greatest Canadian Wrestlers of All Time - TheSportster Ballard also owned the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL. Marcheline Bertrand, actress of half French-Canadian ancestry, mother of actress Angelina Jolie. Donnie Wahlberg. The gifted playmaker returned to Phoenix in 2004 where he won back to back NBA MVP Awards. Nicknamed The Predator, Patrick Ct is a former Canadian boxer and MMA fighter. updated August 31, 2017, 8:31 pm, Top 10 Canadian Athletes in The World Right Now, The 10 best women volleyball players in the world, Top 20 Most Famous Female Volleyball Players in the World, Top 10 Best Sports for Girls to Play and Their Benefits, The Top 20 Tallest Soccer Players of All Time, Top 15 Most Bizarre Sports That Actually Exist, 20 Hottest Female Volleyball Players (2023 Updated), 10 Internet Hoaxes Almost Everybody Believed, 10 Camping Pranks That Bring a Lot of Fun Outdoors, Top 10 Crazy Pranks to Pull on Your Brother, 10 Mass Panic Caused By Seemingly Harmless Pranks, Hot Bolivian Women: Meet The 10 Most Beautiful Girl from Bolivia, Top 10 Most Beautiful and Hottest Cambodian Women. 7 Most Famous French Athletes Of All Time - Journey To France 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. Aside from the Masters, Weir had seven other PGA Tour victories between 1999 and 2007. She retired after 2012 London Games after finishing fifth in the time trial. She was 15 when she began training in hurdles. You dont earn a name like The Great One without being something special. He is regarded as one of the worlds finest brakesmen. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Gold at home in Vancouver 2010 and a repeat four years later in Russia. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin 22/35 Rachel McAdams This Mean Girl was born in London, Ontario. A native of Smith Falls, Ontario, Henderson also represented Canada at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. In the early 2000s, he spent the majority of his time in the top ten rankings and brought a major golf title to Canada for the first time ever when he won the Masters in 2003. A significant milestone, but even more significant is that hes also the first Canadian to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Celebrate 21 Indigenous Athletes for National Indigenous Peoples Day Oleksiakss impressive breakthrough performance in Rio earned her the honor of being named Canadas flag bearer for the Olympic Closing Ceremonies, and won her the Lou Marsh award, given annually to the top Canadian athlete of that year. The title of Worlds Greatest Athlete has often been reserved for the best decathlete in the world, as the sport requires all-around ability in a variety of running, throwing, and jumping events. All rights reserved. Rick Hansen Like Terry Fox, Rick Hansen is often honoured for his courage and strength against adversity, but he's also celebrated as a truly gifted athlete. Canadian Olympic School Program: Black History Collection. The Haitian-born athlete had moved to Canada as a child. He was born on 26th January 1961. Gretzky holds the title of The Great One due to his undeniable skill in the game, but why is it then that Gordie Howe holds the title of Mr.Hockey? In 1910 he founded the newspaper Le Devoir to share his perspective. 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. 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. He defended his world title eight times before coming out of four-year retirement to win the middleweight world title in 2017. Not only that, his heart was on the right side of his chest. She died in 1981, leaving a powerful legacy of championing the rights of women and the underprivileged. The Saskatchewan-raised athlete skated for both the Oilers and the Boston Bruins, and was also playing for Edmonton's AHL affiliate team, the Bakersfield Condors, in the 2019-2020 season. Orr won eight consecutive Norris Trophies as the NHLs best defenseman and three consecutive Hart Trophies as the leagues MVP. Wayne Gretzky Hometown: Brantford, Ontario. She'll forever be known as the "fastest woman on ice.". In the unpredictable world of bobsleigh, Humphries - the top driver in the world - was looking for every little edge to be the best. Make a donation to Canadas History Society. Alexandre Lippmann, French fencer (pe), Olympic champion. Famous Faces - Canada's History Five years later, he received his first players license. Percy Williams is widely regarded as the greatest Canadian Olympic athlete of all time. 19 year old Brooke Henderson is a rising star on the LPGA tour, having already won 3 tournaments (including 1 Major) at the LPGA level. Candice Quigley updated May 7, 2015, 5:50 pm, by His career with the Phoenix Suns was outstanding and saw him awarded as NBAs MVP twice. 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. Same result champions. 2 Donovan Bailey updated December 20, 2017, 7:59 pm, by Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe are two among the most famous ice hockey players the country has seen. Despite having just one MLB team, Canada has produced some talented baseball players over the years, but none compare to Fergie Jenkins. 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. Gretzkys 1,963 assists in the NHL are greater than anyone elses points totals, although Jaromir Jagr might have something to say about that before he hangs up the skates. List of fencers - Wikipedia He played professionally for Cannes in 1989. List of French sportspeople - Wikipedia Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. In 1916 she married Pierre Casgrain, a federal Liberal politician. Athletes Who've Spoken About Mental Health Struggles - Insider Access KelownaNow using your Facebook account, or by entering your information below. What comes to mind when you think of Canada and sports? Elected in the Montral suburb of Verchres, he became co-premier of the unified Province of Canada along with John A. Macdonald. He is best known for his performance in the 1984 Olympic Games, where he won two bronze medals. He retired in 2019, ending his basketball career as the ninth leading post-season scorer in NBA history. Vote for Your Favourite Canadian Athletes, (Actor and Athlete Known for His Role as Tonto in the TV Series The Lone Ranger), (Canadian Sprinter Who was the World's Fastest Man During the 1987-88 Season), (Canadian Soccer Player Who Plays as a Forward), (Onondaga Athlete Who Specialized in Distance Running), (Canadian Track and Field Athlete (Paralympic Games)), (Canadian Former Race Horse Jockey Who won the 'US Triple Crown' in 1973), (Former Canadian Figure Skater and 2-Time National Champion), (Canadian Long-Distance Runner and Olympic Silver Medalist), (Canadian Sprinter, Former World Champion, and 2-Time Olympic Medalist), (Canadian Athlete and Winner of the 100 and 200 Metres Races at the 1928 Summer Olympics), (Canadian Athlete and Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist), (Former Canadian Track and Field Athlete and Olympic Gold Medalist), (Canadian Athlete, Olympic Gold Medalist, and a Pioneer in Women's Sports), (Canadian Track and Field Athlete, Bobsledder, and Olympic Medalist), (Jamaican-Born Canadian Bobsledder and Olympic Silver Medalist), (Track and Field Athlete Who Specialized in Middle Distance Events), (Canadian Athlete Who Was the First Non-US Olympic Gold Medalist in 100m Hurdles). He also scored one the most famous goals in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup (pictured above). He later quit sports to pursue acting. As one of the worlds best decathletes, London, Ontarios Damian Warner is deserving of a spot on this list of the best Canadian athletes. For instance, though there have been several notable Canadian baseball players, Fergie Jenkins was the first Canadian to win the Cy Young Award. The face of womens Canadian soccer and likely the greatest Canadian soccer player ever. Thousands of pieces form Montrals historical patchwork quilt. The following is a list of Canadian sports personalities. Olympic silver medalist Canadian long-distance runner Mohammed Ahmed scripted history as Canadas first medal winner at the 5,000m at both the World Championships and the Olympics. 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. Georges St. Pierre Hometown: Montreal, Quebec. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Black athletes who made Olympic sport history in Canada High Jumper Derek Drouin takes the 6th spot on our list of The Top 10 Canadian Athletes. Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. Being the best at one sport is quite an accomplishment, but being the best at two sports is phenomenal.