With that out of the way, lets take a look at the 12 greatest Canadian athletes of all time! He is also a former Commonwealth Champion and a 2-time World Champion. Wayne Douglas Gretzky is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head. Orr won eight consecutive Norris Trophies as the NHLs best defenseman and three consecutive Hart Trophies as the leagues MVP. 9 Freestyle skiing. Harold Ballard was a Canadian sportsman and businessman. 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. Born in Montral in 1786, he grew up at his family's estate and studied law. Given the popularity of hockey in Canada, its only fitting a hockey player tops this list of the Top 10 Canadian Athletes. She'll look to win her first LPGA major since 2016 in April. She's a major reason why the team won back-to-back bronze medals in the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics. He spent five years inside the top 10 of the World Golf Rankings, sandwiched around his historic Masters win in 2003. He is regarded as one of the worlds finest brakesmen. Born William Anthony Parker, Jr., in Belgium to an African-American father and a Dutch mother, Tony Parker was raised in France and became a naturalized French citizen at the age of 15. Jamaican-born Canadian bobsledder Lascelles Brown is an Olympic silver medalist and a former World Champion. In 2001, he became part of NBAs San Antonio Spurs team as a pointguard and went on to become a 4-time NBA champion. The Haitian-born athlete had moved to Canada as a child. He had a permanently damaged lung due to an accident. As a young man, he excelled in athletics and became a lacrosse player. Without a doubt, Canadas greatest basketball player. Off the field, she continues to be a inspiration to countless Canadian girls with their own dreams of athletic glory. However, these did not stop him from becoming one of the greatest athletes France has ever had. But she got her first Olympic start in Vancouver 2010 in alpine skiing. 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. They learned the sport from a French priest on borrowed skis from a U.S. Army base and eventually a small nordic team was formed. Her bronze in the 5,000 metres in Vancouver was epic. After a spinal cord injury at 15, he became a paraplegic. In 1916 she married Pierre Casgrain, a federal Liberal politician. By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. At 7 feet and 4 inches tall, which was a result of acromegaly, Andr Ren Roussimoff was better known by his fitting ring name Andr the Giant., Roussimoff started his wrestling career in 1966, relocating to North America five years later and consequently becoming a mainstay of World Wrestling Federation (then called World Wide Wrestling Federation or WWWF), where he easily became a fan favorite. 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. 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. Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe are two among the most famous ice hockey players the country has seen. 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. Much like Mario Lemieux, theres a good chance Orr would be considered the greatest hockey player of all time if his career wasnt cut short by injury. He also won a gold medal at the 1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships. 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. Posted on Published: November 16, 2021- Last updated: January 6, 2023. It may be shocking to see the likes of Lemieux, Roy and Messier missing but rest assured their talents are not overlooked. Crosby also won two Olympic gold medals with Canada, including the 2010 final, where he scored a famous golden goal in the finals. In 1970, then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau appointed Casgrain to the Canadian Senate. In honor of Canada Day, here are the 25 greatest Canadians of all time: 26. He was later dubbed The Eighth Wonder of the World.. While growing up in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, she was quite the fastball player, representing Canada at the world junior championships at one point. 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. She became a dual-season Olympian at PyeongChang 2018 when she won bronze with Kaillie Humphries in bobsleigh. Elected in the Montral suburb of Verchres, he became co-premier of the unified Province of Canada along with John A. Macdonald. Donovan Bailey Canada is a nation that has an incredibly diverse interest in sports. 15 Inspirational Asian Canadians to Know by : Patricia Karounos and Hannah Ziegler - May 25th, 2020 In honour of Asian Heritage Month, we're highlighting Asian-Canadian women and non-binary people for their impact in the realms of culture, fashion, athletics and politics. He is best known for winning the gold medal in the 110m hurdles event at the 1992 Olympic Games. Muhammed Ali said Chuvalo was the toughest fighter he ever faced. However, in recent years a number of Canadians in various sports have made an impact at the highest levels. 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. ), 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. Hughes is known for her athletic achievements as well as her humanitarian work. Mark McKoy is a three-time Commonwealth champion, having won gold medals at the 1982 and 1986 Commonwealth Games. He is the first Jamaican-born athlete to win a medal at the Winter Olympics. Nash retired with the highest free throw percentage in NBA history at 90.42%. In 1942, she ran for federal election as a Liberal and lost. And that wasn't the end of it. 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. For the Firths, it was beyond personal, they were acutely aware of representing their culture, too. Olympic gold medalist Canadian athlete Fanny Bobbie Rosenfeld earned the nickname Bobbie for the bob cut she sported. French is also the first official language spoken by 22 per cent of the Canadian population. But you could argue Nancy Greene's greatest contribution was inspirational. Ben Johnson who held the record of being the fastest man in the world during the 1980s was a Canadian. 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). His illustrious career has seen him compete internationally for Jamaica, Canada, and Monaco. Brooke has been a top-10 competitor on the LPGA for a couple years now, but she's still just 21 years old. 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). Milos Raonic, a tennis player, was born in the former Yugoslavia, but moved with his family to Canada when he was 3 years old. 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. Sufia Banu At that point, Greene had already won several high-profile events in Canada and The States. She competed in track and field at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics. You probably think of hockey and a variety of other winter sports, anything that requires snow and ice. Phil Edwards was a Guyanese-born Canadian track and field athlete who specialized in middle-distance events. 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. 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. A significant milestone, but even more significant is that hes also the first Canadian to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Ethel Smith (1907 - 1979). She remains the only athlete to win multiple medals in both the summer and winter Olympics. An advocate for Indigenous issues, Chalmers has made efforts to connect with and inspire . List features athletes like Kaillie Humphries, Lynn Kanuka-Williams. Most people (athletes included) tend to like either the summer or the winter. The list is made up from athletes whose skills are undeniable, as well as their place within their respective sport and their representation of Canada. Nicknamed the Man of Bronze, Phil Edwards won five bronze medals for Canada at the Olympic Games between 1928 and 1936. Post-retirement, she worked as a sports columnist and coach. This International Womens Day, lets celebrate some of Canada's female heroes of the past and not-so distant past. Though they went undefeated (27-0) through FOUR Olympic Games (1924-1936), there were no gold medals to show around their necks. Nancy Greene 7. The Great One holds almost every NHL record you can think of and helped Edmonton become the City of Champions in the late 1980s. 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. We recognize the resilience of Indigenous storytellers and Knowledge Keepers who have kept their stories alive despite attempts to silence them. During this time, she also championed human rights while serving on various federal councils and founded several associations that worked for the welfare of women. However, France has also produced some of the worlds most famous athletes. Conacher succeeded in a number of sports including football, hockey, baseball, lacrosse, boxing and wrestling. In that vein, here are, in my opinion, the five greatest French-speaking skaters and goalies of all time. 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. Her six career medals ties her with speed skating teammate Cindy Klassen as Canada's most-decorated Olympian. Aside from the Masters, Weir had seven other PGA Tour victories between 1999 and 2007. Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted. The 20 year old McDavid is currently in his 2nd season with the NHLs Edmonton Oilers, and is the teams captain. 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. 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 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? Lou Marsh was a Canadian athlete who participated in a wide variety of sports during his playing career. According to the 2016 census,Frenchwas the mother tongue language of 7,166,705 people, or 21 per cent of the Canadian population. Nicknamed The Big Train, Lionel Conacher might be the least known athlete on this list, despite having a national award named after him. Better known as GSP, Georges helped to turn the UFC and mixed martial arts mainstream. Cindy Klassen Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba. She followed those medals up with four medals over the span of three Winter Games in speedskating. Some that come to mind are Hockey Hall of Famer Angela James, the late freestyle skiing legend Sarah Burke, superb athlete and sports administrator Abby Hoffman and others. In 1996, Tom Longboat was honored posthumously with an induction into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. As the captain of Canadas hockey team, Philip-Poulin has led her team to two Olympic gold medals plus a silver medal. Mance, Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve, and the rest of the contingent left La Rochelle, France, on two vessels in May 1641. Wickenheiser was a member of the Canadian national team for 23 years, leading the team to four gold medals and a silver medal in Nagano when she was just 19. Being the best at one sport is quite an accomplishment, but being the best at two sports is phenomenal. 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. Nancy Greene, nicknamed Tiger for her aggressive style of skiing, is one of the most decorated alpine skiers in Canadian history. A lot can happen in four years. 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. Hes a 23-time NHL All-Star and held a number of hockeys scoring records until Wayne Gretzky broke them in the 1980s. 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) You dont earn a name like The Great One without being something special. Fiction Feature: Its Manitoba in 1888. Canada's national women's soccer team, on the other hand, is one of the best in the world and are currently ranked fourth. Sinclair serves as the captain of the national team and is Canada's all-time leader in caps (247) and goals (167). You probably don't know these names, but you should. In the 2020 Olympics, Sinclair helped her team win the gold medal. Moyse - the best pusher in the world - was a team-sport star from PEI and member of the World Rugby Hall of Fame. 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. In the unpredictable world of bobsleigh, Humphries - the top driver in the world - was looking for every little edge to be the best.