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. In PyeongChang 2018, Humphries partnered with sprinter Phylicia George winning a bronze medal. In Brazil, she competed in track cycling where she collected her first-ever podium finish, a bronze in the team pursuit. Orr won eight consecutive Norris Trophies as the NHLs best defenseman and three consecutive Hart Trophies as the leagues MVP. Known for his mix of speed, power, skill, and grit. The world-famous Andr the Giant died of congestive heart failure in Paris in 1993, after attending his fathers funeral. Louis-Joseph Papineau PATRIOTE LEADER AND POLITICIAN 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. 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. Their homecoming to Toronto was nuts. 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. Sharing the stories and celebrating the contributions of inspiring Black Canadian athletes . A native of Smith Falls, Ontario, Henderson also represented Canada at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. The Hub is brought to you by Boomerswork.com where we put your experience to work. Hughes is known for her athletic achievements as well as her humanitarian work. Nancy Greene 7. In 2001, he became part of NBAs San Antonio Spurs team as a pointguard and went on to become a 4-time NBA champion. He spent five years inside the top 10 of the World Golf Rankings, sandwiched around his historic Masters win in 2003. 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. She's got her eyes on a fourth Games in Tokyo this summer. A lot can happen in four years. Drouin also won gold at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, and won 5 NCAA titles while competing for the Indiana Hoosiers. 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. 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. Make a donation to Canadas History Society. Klassen also won a bronze medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, tying her with Clara Hughes for the Canadian record of six total medals at the Olympics. Three-time Olympian Canadian track and field athlete and bobsledder Phylicia George is also an Olympic bronze medalist in the two-woman bobsleigh category. The face of womens Canadian soccer and likely the greatest Canadian soccer player ever. She's the only athlete in history to win multiple medals at both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. or back-to-back World Cup overall titles, Greene Raine ruled the slopes and inspired the next generation of ski racers, male and female. 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. Marcheline Bertrand, actress of half French-Canadian ancestry, mother of actress Angelina Jolie. Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted. She joined the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) athlete committee in 2005 and in 2012 was appointed to their executive committee. Harold Ballard was a Canadian sportsman and businessman. He is best known for his performance in the 1984 Olympic Games, where he won two bronze medals. But you could argue Nancy Greene's greatest contribution was inspirational. 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. After being elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada, Papineau became the leader of the Parti Canadien, which later became the Patriote party. He also won a gold medal at the 1981 Pacific Conference Games and at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. 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. Copyright 2023 by AncoraThemes. Brooke has been a top-10 competitor on the LPGA for a couple years now, but she's still just 21 years old. 2 Association football. They made little Inuvik a hotbed of ski talent. After a spinal cord injury at 15, he became a paraplegic. This article originally appeared in the April-May 2017issue ofCanadas History. Born in Montral in 1786, he grew up at his family's estate and studied law. by 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 having just one MLB team, Canada has produced some talented baseball players over the years, but none compare to Fergie Jenkins. Donovan Bailey is a retired Jamaican-Canadian sprinter. By the 1960s, his idea of a bicultural Canada had made its way to Parliament, where it was promoted by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Ron Turcotte is a Canadian former race horse jockey. She is currently captaining the national team and the NWSL club Portland Thorns FC. You dont earn a name like The Great One without being something special. Canadian athlete Earl Thomson, or Tommy Thomson, scripted history as the first non-American to win a 110m hurdles Olympic gold medal. She followed those medals up with four medals over the span of three Winter Games in speedskating. Mance quickly established a basic hospital that would later become the Htel-Dieu de Montral. Competing in his first Olympics, he won a silver medal in the 200m, and bronze medals in the 100m and 4 x 100m relay. 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. Sinclair has won the Canada Soccer Player of the Year award an outstanding 12 times in her career and is a 6 time nominee of FIFAs World Player of the Year award. As a professional tennis player, she is currently ranked no. Now in his 3rd NBA season, Wiggins is a rising star in the NBA thanks to his athleticism and skill. Previously, she had won the bronze medal and the silver medal at the 2013 and 2014 World Curling Championships respectively. 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. Hundreds of thousands came out to celebrate and in 1950, Rosenfeld was named Canada's female athlete of the first half of the century. updated March 31, 2019, 10:41 am, by Similarly to Wiggins, Connor McDavid is a young superstar taking his sport by storm. 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. 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. Nicknamed The Predator, Patrick Ct is a former Canadian boxer and MMA fighter. 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. She's an advocate for persons with disabilities and has served as Canada's chef de mission for the 2016 Rio Paralympic team and the 2014 Commonwealth Games team. He has also earned the Best Young Player and French Player of the Year awards for his stellar performances. He once held the world record for the 100 meters and is considered the greatest Canadian sprinter of all time. France is most noted for its amazing breads, cheeses, and wines; art, architecture, and fashion; and of course, its fabulous destinations. Given the popularity of hockey in Canada, its only fitting a hockey player tops this 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. Comments are welcome while open. This International Women's Day, let's celebrate some of Canada's female heroes of the past and not-so distant past. Elected in the Montral suburb of Verchres, he became co-premier of the unified Province of Canada along with John A. Macdonald. 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. But not all of us are George Chuvalo. 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!) Playing in other North American professional leagues, Former NCAA Division I players awaiting professional play. Longo's professional racing career started in 1979. 1. Eventually Bourassa resigned from the Liberal party and became an independent MP. ), BC company retracts statement on cocaine production and sale, 5 things you need to know this morning: March 3, 2023, Transportation Safety Board investigating emergency WestJet landing in Kelowna, Kelowna gardeners wont want to miss the annual Seedy Sunday event, Joly and Chinese counterpart confront each other over interference claims, 3 skiers killed in Wednesday's BC avalanche were from Germany. In 2022, Andre De Grasse won a gold medal at the World Championships. This International Womens Day, lets celebrate some of Canada's female heroes of the past and not-so distant past. 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. updated December 20, 2017, 7:59 pm, by Discover a wealth of interesting, entertaining and informative stories in each issue, delivered to you six times per year. To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). 2 Donovan Bailey updated July 10, 2021, 1:15 am, by Whether it was donating to Right to Play or breaking down the stigma around mental illness in Bell's "Let's Talk" campaign, she's a champion through and through. 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. 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. Between Shirley and Sharon, they won 48 Canadian championships. He became famous for his endurance and the way he finished a race with a spectacular burst of speed. The poorly organized revolt was quickly suppressed, and Papineau went into exile. He transformed from a moderate politician to a radical, openly attacking institutions such as the Legislative Council, whose non-elected members controlled the country. The gifted playmaker returned to Phoenix in 2004 where he won back to back NBA MVP Awards. They're the most successful team in Canadian history, winning an astounding 95 per cent of their matches. In 1942, she ran for federal election as a Liberal and lost. 50.97, Ethel Smith is the most famous Canadian Athlete. He was 16 when he began his martial arts training with the Canadian Army. He refused to take his salary as a Member of Parliament under Wilfrid Laurier and challenged the imperialist tendencies in the cabinet. 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. For the Firths, it was beyond personal, they were acutely aware of representing their culture, too. 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. Former Edmonton Grads basketball team members (left to right) Edith Stone Sutton (1930-34), Margaret MacBurney . Candice Quigley Sidney Crosby is regarded as one of the best hockey players of all time and has amassed over 1200 points over his fifteen-year playing career alongside eight all-star appearances and three Stanley Cups. 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. 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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. She is an Olympic gold-medalist and 13-time world champion who also competed in track bicycle racing events. There are parks and lakes and mountain peaks and streets and buildings named after her. All rights reserved. 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. Gordie Howe, or Mr. Or, in the case of the Canadian women's hockey team, back-to-back-to-back-to-back. Adriana John He then established himself as one of the top hockey and boxing referees of his generation. A significant milestone, but even more significant is that hes also the first Canadian to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. MacLennan became the first Canadian athlete to defend their title at a Summer Olympic Games, following up her gold-medal performance in trampoline from the 2012 London Olympic Games with another gold in Rio 2016. 1 ranking from 1926 to 1927. The Somalia-born athlete spent a part of his childhood in Kenya, before moving to Canada at age 11. 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. 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. Ben Johnson also won a gold medal at the 1985 World Indoor Championships. 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. No surprise she was voted the top female Canadian athlete of the 20th century. 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 You probably think of hockey and a variety of other winter sports, anything that requires snow and ice. Canada is a nation that has an incredibly diverse interest in sports. In 2011, Velma Springstead was posthumously elected as a member of the Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame. He remains the only defenseman to lead the league in scoring, which he did twice, although Brent Burns is trying his best to join Orr in that regard this season. With an HPI of . His best-known role was Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride in 1987. 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). But she got her first Olympic start in Vancouver 2010 in alpine skiing. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. Historic Irish neighbourhood is enjoying a renaissance. 10 Ice hockey. We recognize the resilience of Indigenous storytellers and Knowledge Keepers who have kept their stories alive despite attempts to silence them. A true family affair. She competed in track and field at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics. 3 Badminton. 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. Drouin is the reigning Olympic and World Champion in Mens High Jump, as he won gold at the 2015 World Championships and 2016 Olympics. He moved to Montral at the age of ten and entered the College de Montral. When things went wrong in seventeenth-century Quebec, authorities were not above blaming black magic. Jeannie Longos athletic career began in her hometown in the French Alps. Genre: Pop Listen to: Pour toi Check her out here! He was also the creator of the first steel tennis racket and the tennis ball machine. The Haitian-born athlete had moved to Canada as a child. He continues to inspire countless Canadians after all these years. Mbapp was born to a Cameroonian father and an Algerian mother in Paris. 2016 may have been an even better year for De Grasse. What comes to mind when you think of Canada and sports? 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. Georges St. Pierre Hometown: Montreal, Quebec. ), if Nancy Greene pounced, there wasn't much her competition could do about it. However, in recent years a number of Canadians in various sports have made an impact at the highest levels. After retiring from tennis in 1932, he became pretty busy with his inventions, filing 20 new patents between the 1960s and 80s. Let's just say this three-time Olympian stars on tracks. She won the French road race Championship that same year. Top 10 Female Athletes [ edit] Nancy Greene (born 1943), skier Silken Laumann (born 1964), rower Barbara Ann Scott (1928-2012), figure skater Myriam Bdard (born 1969), biathlon Marnie McBean (born 1968), rower Fanny "Bobbie" Rosenfeld (1904-1969), track-and-field (voted female athlete of the first half of the century) 47in world ranking. Widely regarded as Canadas top female athlete of the 20th century, Greene was a trailblazer for female Canadian athletes. Longos professional racing career started in 1979. He later coached the US Naval Academy team and also co-designed a safer hurdle. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. It's incredible how many setbacks the Firths endured - illness, the death of their mother - but they always kept fighting through. 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. Joseph Guillemot could be considered an anomaly in sports history. Better known as GSP, Georges helped to turn the UFC and mixed martial arts mainstream. The grandson of Patriote Louis-Joseph Papineau, Bourassa was an independent thinker who became a political model for his generation and the next. From the ice to the hardcourt, theres not much doubt about who Canadas greatest basketball player is. She had been threatened with expulsion from the tournament if she continued to miss press obligations. French is also the first official language spoken by 22 per cent of the Canadian population. 2021 all rights reserved, SeasonedPros.ca. 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. Mance, Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve, and the rest of the contingent left La Rochelle, France, on two vessels in May 1641.