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Nancy Greene 7. 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. While he started his training in ice hockey at age 5, he later switched to figure skating. In 2011, Velma Springstead was posthumously elected as a member of the Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame. No surprise she was voted the top female Canadian athlete of the 20th century. Canadas National History Society acknowledges that we meet and work across the ancestral lands of many Indigenous peoples: First Nations, Inuit, and Mtis. Ben Johnson who held the record of being the fastest man in the world during the 1980s was a Canadian. Admitted to the bar in 1835, he fought for the rights of the francophone minority and participated in the rebellions of 183738 alongside the Patriotes, before going into exile in Vermont. 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. She was part of the first Canadian women's track and field team to compete internationally. Now in his 3rd NBA season, Wiggins is a rising star in the NBA thanks to his athleticism and skill. Nicknamed The Predator, Patrick Ct is a former Canadian boxer and MMA fighter. 47in world ranking. The poorly organized revolt was quickly suppressed, and Papineau went into exile. She has worn the Canadian jersey at 4 FIFA Womens World Cups and 3 Summer Olympic Games, earning bronze medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. Hockey as he is commonly known, still holds the record for most games played in the NHL. A cyclist and a speed skater, she set records for not only Canadians, but athletes from all over the world. 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. Canadian Olympic School Program: Black History Collection. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. He also led the 4 x 100m relay team to a gold medal in the same Olympics. Playing in other North American professional leagues, Former NCAA Division I players awaiting professional play. In 1980, Ron Turcotte was elected as a member of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. FouKi See on Instagram An MFC middleweight champion, he has also won 3 UFC titles. Take a trip to Montreal with this audiowalk to learn about the citys history. With so many trailblazers in this country, this list could run off the page. He has also earned the Best Young Player and French Player of the Year awards for his stellar performances. 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. Here are the top 10 greatest celebrated Canadian athletes of all time; 1. All rights reserved. Widely considered as the greatest all-around player in hockey history, Howe set the bar by playing until age 52, a mark that has never been beat. 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). He competed in before making his NHL debut at 18 in 2005. 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She finished third in combined pursuit at those Salt Lake City Olympics, only to be upgraded to the Olympic gold after two Russians were caught doping. He is best known for his charitable endeavor, Man in Motion World Tour, and is associated with many initiatives to fund spinal cord treatment research. 48.39, Jean Collas is the 6th most famous French Athlete. Penny Oleksiak impressed the entire country with her four medals in last summers Summer games, but it doesnt compare to Cindy Klassens performance at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. When things went wrong in seventeenth-century Quebec, authorities were not above blaming black magic. He was 16 when he began his martial arts training with the Canadian Army. In total, Canada's women's track and field team won two gold, two silver and a bronze and earned the nickname: The Matchless Six. Being the best at one sport is quite an accomplishment, but being the best at two sports is phenomenal. Impressed by Mance and her mission, Peltrie decided to join the group. Four years later, she made the hurdles final once again and helped the 4x100 relay team to sixth-place finish. He also piled up 11 top-10 and four top-5 major finishes in his career. Ren Lacoste had fared well in his athletics career as well. ), if Nancy Greene pounced, there wasn't much her competition could do about it. Stefanie Reid is a track and field para athlete. Like Terry Fox, Rick Hansen is often honoured for his courage and strength against adversity, but hes also celebrated as a truly gifted athlete. Our focus was to represent aboriginal people on the world stage in sport and I think that's what we did.". For the Firths, it was beyond personal, they were acutely aware of representing their culture, too. Nicknamed Tiger (well before the golfer! This list answers the questions, "What famous female athletes are from Canada?" and "Who are the greatest female Canadian athletes?" Sydney Leroux Age: 32 Mary Pierce Age: 48 Carey May Age: 63 Sarah Murphy Age: 35 Helen Upperton Age: 43 Sarah Podorieszach Age: 33 Jenkins wasnt just a talented baseball player either, as he spent a few off-seasons playing for the Harlem Globetrotters. 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. Five years later, he received his first players license. She was a downhill skier before switching to cycling at the urging of her coach, Patrice Ciprelli, who later became her husband. They were 19-year-old pups when they represented Canada in London 2012 and veterans when the team finished seventh in Rio 2016. Better known as GSP, Georges helped to turn the UFC and mixed martial arts mainstream. He was born on 26th January 1961. Introducing a few of the many Montralers who became important figures in Canadian history. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. 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. 50.97, Ethel Smith is the most famous Canadian Athlete. After retiring from tennis in 1932, he became pretty busy with his inventions, filing 20 new patents between the 1960s and 80s. But for these 12 athletes, both seasons are their favourite as they have competed at the summer and winter Olympic Games. Clara Hughes has won six Olympic medals and also has an unusual record as being one of the only athletes in the world to have won medals at both the Winter and Summer Olympic Games. Get exclusive content you wont find in our magazines. Ferguson Jenkins Hometown: Chatham, Ontario. Her bronze in the 5,000 metres in Vancouver was epic. Georges St. Pierre Hometown: Montreal, Quebec. In Brazil, she competed in track cycling where she collected her first-ever podium finish, a bronze in the team pursuit. He won a Grey Cup, a Memorial Cup, two Stanley Cups and even a baseball championship in the International League. 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. Shes also Canadas most decorated female athlete, with 24 medals in speed skating. Fiction Feature: Its Manitoba in 1888. Christine Sinclair is a Canadian soccer player who plays for the Canadian national team as a forward. See also; 10 Highest Paid Athletes in the world. He also won a gold medal at the 1930 British Empire Games in Hamilton. Mance, Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve, and the rest of the contingent left La Rochelle, France, on two vessels in May 1641. Lemieux is narrowly behind Gretzky for the highest all-time points per game in the NHL and the two Canadians are a half point higher than anyone else on the list. Canada produced a pair of elite sprinters in the late part of the 20th century, but only one of them did it legitimately. He won three Welterweight Championships between 2006 and 2008 and was listed as the number one welterweight in the world for several years. He spent five years inside the top 10 of the World Golf Rankings, sandwiched around his historic Masters win in 2003. He became famous for his endurance and the way he finished a race with a spectacular burst of speed. 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. Drouin also won gold at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, and won 5 NCAA titles while competing for the Indiana Hoosiers. Later, she likely worked as a nurse at a hospital in her hometown. Robbed of that Olympic moment, she formed a powerful voice in the boardroom. By the 1960s, his idea of a bicultural Canada had made its way to Parliament, where it was promoted by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. In 1640, Mance learned that religious women the Ursulines and Augustinians had established themselves in Qubec and she was inspired to go to New France. Lemieuxs career was ultimately shortened by injury, a mid-career retirement and even cancer, but number 66 is still considered one of the most talented and influential players to ever play the game. 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. He retired from professional football in 2006. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Candice Quigley It's incredible how many setbacks the Firths endured - illness, the death of their mother - but they always kept fighting through. The famous athlete was nicknamed 'The Big Train'. Article Angela Chalmers. Overall, Wickenheiser's played in six Olympic Games. A significant milestone, but even more significant is that hes also the first Canadian to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Louis-Joseph Papineau had a reputation as a hero and a defender of the rights of French Canadians, but he was also seen as a traitor to the nation and to the Commonwealth. More than any other player, Howe played the whole game. He was a goal scorer, a puck-handler, a scrapper, a bruiser, a leader, a right-hand man. Make a donation to Canadas History Society. Eisler also won a gold medal, three silver medals, and two bronze medals at the World Championships between 1985 and 1994. In this category, we zone in on individual sports. 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. His skating ability, offensive skill, and great hockey IQ have convinced many people that he will soon be (if he isnt already) the best hockey player in the world. In 2004, he was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. He won gold twice at the 1996 games and was the record-holder for the 100m sprint. 2021 all rights reserved, SeasonedPros.ca. Today, Longo is an all-time great racing cyclist who still competes on the Masters circuits in her 60s. Though they went undefeated (27-0) through FOUR Olympic Games (1924-1936), there were no gold medals to show around their necks. 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. She ran the anchor leg for Jane Bell, Ethel Smith and Myrtle Cook as Canada won gold in the inaugural 4x100-metre relay. 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. High Jumper Derek Drouin takes the 6th spot on our list of The Top 10 Canadian Athletes. This resulted in unrest leading to the Lower Canada Rebellion of 183738. McDavid, a speedy centre, was the first pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, and recently made his first All-Star appearance at the professional level. France is most noted for its amazing breads, cheeses, and wines; art, architecture, and fashion; and of course, its fabulous destinations. He has also had a very successful international career, winning 2 Olympic gold medals, a World Junior Championship, a World Championship, and a World Cup title with Team Canada. His career with the Phoenix Suns was outstanding and saw him awarded as NBAs MVP twice. Percy Williams was a Canadian athlete best remembered for winning two gold medals at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. Gordie Howe Hometown: Floral, Saskatchewan. She had been threatened with expulsion from the tournament if she continued to miss press obligations. Sharing the stories and celebrating the contributions of inspiring Black Canadian athletes . Guillemot held world records in 2,000 meters and 3,000 meters. He is currently ranked 4th in the world, though he was ranked 3rd for a time in 2016. In the 1920s, she helped found the Provincial Franchise Committee for Womens Suffrage and began fighting for the right for women to vote provincially in Qubec a battle that would last more than two decades before victory was achieved. An advocate for Indigenous issues, Chalmers has made efforts to connect with and inspire . 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. Alexandre Lippmann, French fencer (pe), Olympic champion. Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a former football star who played as an attacking midfielder. Steve Nash was initially drafted by the Phoenix Suns in 1996, but was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 1998 where established himself as one of the leagues best passers. Klassen won five medals for Team Canada, despite the fact that there are far less medals available in the Winter Games. Nicknamed the Man of Bronze, Phil Edwards won five bronze medals for Canada at the Olympic Games between 1928 and 1936. He campaigned for greater independence for Lower Canada, which was dominated by an influential British minority. She was a downhill skier before switching to cycling at the urging of her coach, Patrice Ciprelli, who later became her husband. He is best known for winning the US Triple Crown in 1973, riding the famous American thoroughbred racehorse, Secretariat. 7 Curling. Throughout the years, hundreds of Canadian athletes have made their mark on the world of sport and represented Canada at the highest level. She is currently ranked an impressive 8th in the world at her sport, a position that she will no doubt surpass in the future. Thanks for contributing to The Canadian Encyclopedia. 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. In 1979, he wasinductedintothe National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Milos Raonic, a tennis player, was born in the former Yugoslavia, but moved with his family to Canada when he was 3 years old. But not all of us are George Chuvalo. Zidane is a Muslim of Algerian-French descent. Olympic gold medalist Canadian athlete Fanny Bobbie Rosenfeld earned the nickname Bobbie for the bob cut she sported. She competed in track and field at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics. He followed that up with a pair of gold medals at the 2015 Pan American Games in the 100m and 200m, and bronze medals at the 2015 World Championships in the 100m and 4 x 100m relay. Not only does Clara Hughes have six Olympic medals to her name, shes one of two athletes since Second World War to win medals in both the Summer and Winter Games. 3 Badminton. updated February 20, 2022, 5:07 am, by As a young man, he excelled in athletics and became a lacrosse player. Canada men's national junior ice hockey team, List of members of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, "Buzz builds over Burlington hoops phenom Simisola Shittu", "Negro Scores Win Before 5,000 Fans; Berger is Victor", "Jewish youngster opens Toronto tennis center", Canadian Cerebral Palsy Sports Association, Canadian Wheelchair Basketball Association, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Canadian_sports_personalities&oldid=1141790586, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Alison Hart, daughter of Stu and Helen married Canadian wrestler, Brooke B. Hart, daughter of Alison Hart and Ben Bassarab married, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 20:36. 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. There are a number of Canadians doing good things on the PGA Tour, but that wasnt always the case. Naomi Osaka. Donovan Bailey Though Browning never won an Olympic medal, he is one of the most successful and popular Canadian figure skaters of all time. Its always an inspiring sight to see a Canadian with that gold medal around their neck. This week its the top 15 athletes in Canadas decorated sports history. 30 Famous Francophones Updated by Celine Cooper To celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2015, The Canadian Encyclopedia created 30 lists of 30 things that make us proud to be Canadian, from famous people and historic events, to iconic foods and influential artists. Posted on Published: November 16, 2021- Last updated: January 6, 2023. Her six career medals ties her with speed skating teammate Cindy Klassen as Canada's most-decorated Olympian. He gradually gave up politics but still had significant influence. Mike Weir was one of the first Canadians to achieve success at the highest level in golf. When they were six, their whole community was up and moved to Inuvik. 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. 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 . His biography has been translated into 18 different languages. This International Womens Day, lets celebrate some of Canada's female heroes of the past and not-so distant past. He is also the program assistant of Canadas History Society. The first Olympic Winter Games took place in 1924 in Chamonix, France.Canada's first female Winter Olympian was 15-year-old Cecil Smith, who finished sixth in the women's figure skating competition and seventh in the pairs competition with Melville Rogers. He returned to Canada after being granted amnesty in 1844. Andrew Stawicki/Toronto Star via Getty Images. A true family affair. He was also the creator of the first steel tennis racket and the tennis ball machine. 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. Despite a short career, Owen Hart is one of the greatest Canadian wrestlers of all time. Nancy Greene, nicknamed Tiger for her aggressive style of skiing, is one of the most decorated alpine skiers in Canadian history. . 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. Velma Springstead was a Canadian athlete best remembered for winning a gold medal at the 1925 Canadian Track and Field Championships in Halifax. His illustrious career has seen him compete internationally for Jamaica, Canada, and Monaco. She's got her eyes on a fourth Games in Tokyo this summer. 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. (Photo: National Archives Bookstore.) At the time of his retirement, Gretzky held 61 NHL records. In 1996, Tom Longboat was honored posthumously with an induction into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Lets dive into the list of some of the most famous French athletes of all time. Legendary Canadian female athletes you should know | CBC Sports Loaded. Wiggins entered the NBA in 2014 after being chosen first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Entry Draft. In 2001, he became part of NBAs San Antonio Spurs team as a pointguard and went on to become a 4-time NBA champion. In 1942, she ran for federal election as a Liberal and lost. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. The Jamaican born, Canadian sprinter won gold in the 100m setting a new world record of 9.84 seconds in the process. The Great One holds almost every NHL record you can think of and helped Edmonton become the City of Champions in the late 1980s. Her biography has been translated into 23 different languages on wikipedia. Obviously the diamond took a back seat to the ice as she went on to the most prolific career in women's hockey. Rachel Homan is a Canadian professional curler best known for winning the gold medal at the 2017 World Curling Championships. Her hard work and leadership provide an excellent example for other aspiring athletes. updated December 20, 2017, 7:59 pm, by 8. Sufia Banu Alwyn Morris (1957-) Canoe-Kayak Sprint Canadas national womens soccer team is currently ranked in the top ten, thanks in part to the skills of captain Christine Sinclair. She is an Olympic gold-medalist and 13-time world champion who also competed in track bicycle racing events. She is the first Canadian-born player representing Canada to reach the finals of a Grand Slam in singles. He has won World Championship gold medals with Canada at both the Junior (2015) and Senior (2016) level. An artists essay became a call-to-arms for social change. Few athletes on this list hold the type of legacy that Fox has among Canadians. 10 Ice hockey. This is all thanks to his world-famous eponymous polo shirt brand with the crocodile logo. 22. Wickenheiser also represented Canada once in the Summer Olympics as a part of the softball team. Her biggest win so far in her career is a victory at the 2016 KPMG Womens PGA Championship. She was educated by the Ursulines a religious order devoted to educating girls and caring for the sick and needy. A member of the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and Companion of the Order of Canada, she was appointed to the Senate in March 2016. In 1995 Longo became the first female rider to win road and time-trial world titles in the same year, a record that stood until Hollands Anna van der Breggen accomplished the same feat in 2020. If you liked this article, please share it! He was the first Canadian, and first Cubs pitcher, to win a Cy Young Award as the leagues best pitcher and accumulated over 3,000 strikeouts in his long career. Despite the poor showing of Canadian teams during this past hockey season, right now is a pretty exciting time for Canadian athletes. And this weekend Sidney Crosby will be taking his second Stanley Cup home to his Nova Scotia hometown. 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. Raonic has 8 ATP titles to his name, and has earned over $14 million (USD) in career winnings. The grandson of Patriote Louis-Joseph Papineau, Bourassa was an independent thinker who became a political model for his generation and the next. 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. Mance quickly established a basic hospital that would later become the Htel-Dieu de Montral. Just before winning four consecutive Olympic gold medals in hockey, Wickenheiser starred for the softball team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Gordie Howe Also, Crosby is a complete player with few, if any, weaknesses in his game. Shes considered one of the best female soccer players of all time and has 296 appearances and 186 goals for Canada. Donnie Wahlberg. 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. She won the first-ever World Cup skiing race in 1967 before winning gold at the 1968 winter Olympic giant slalom event. Scott resigned WADA's compliance and review committee in 2018 over the reinstatement of Russia's anti-doping agency. Two-time national champion and retired Canadian figure skater Nam Nguyen has also been a World Junior Champion in 2014. In 2022, Andre De Grasse won a gold medal at the World Championships. He is a Black Belt in both Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The world-famous Andr the Giant died of congestive heart failure in Paris in 1993, after attending his fathers funeral. Ballard also owned the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL. Or, in the case of the Canadian women's hockey team, back-to-back-to-back-to-back. This whole list could be populated with hockey players, but to add a little variety, Ive chosen to limit their representation on the list. Post-retirement, he has been working as a power skating coach. He has won two silver medals and three bronze medals in two Olympic Games so far. For instance, though there have been several notable Canadian baseball players, Fergie Jenkins was the first Canadian to win the Cy Young Award. Orr won eight consecutive Norris Trophies as the NHLs best defenseman and three consecutive Hart Trophies as the leagues MVP. 1. In 1970, then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau appointed Casgrain to the Canadian Senate. Born in a poor neighboorhood in the 15th arrondissement of Marseille, Zidane started playing football at age 5.