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. Get exclusive content you wont find in our magazines. He played professionally for Cannes in 1989. Competing in his first Olympics, he won a silver medal in the 200m, and bronze medals in the 100m and 4 x 100m relay. 9 Freestyle skiing. 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. 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. The Somalia-born athlete spent a part of his childhood in Kenya, before moving to Canada at age 11. updated July 10, 2021, 1:15 am, by George-tienne Cartiers vision of a Canada that combined the British and French nations was the basis for the creation of our modern country. Here are the top 10 greatest celebrated Canadian athletes of all time; 1. Introducing a few of the many Montralers who became important figures in Canadian history. 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. Auto racing is another sport that few Canadians excel at, but Vileneuve certain helped to put our countrys name on the map with the sport. The world-famous Andr the Giant died of congestive heart failure in Paris in 1993, after attending his fathers funeral. Obviously the diamond took a back seat to the ice as she went on to the most prolific career in women's hockey. 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 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. 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. 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. Joseph Guillemot could be considered an anomaly in sports history. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Robbed of that Olympic moment, she formed a powerful voice in the boardroom. He was later dubbed The Eighth Wonder of the World.. Raonic has 8 ATP titles to his name, and has earned over $14 million (USD) in career winnings. Jamaican-born Canadian bobsledder Lascelles Brown is an Olympic silver medalist and a former World Champion. As for just how good the Grads were, let's leave the final word to Dr. James Naismith, who called them "the finest basketball team that ever stepped out on a floor.". Two-time national champion and retired Canadian figure skater Nam Nguyen has also been a World Junior Champion in 2014. Primarily a speed skater, Hughes also won two bronze medals in cycling at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. This International Women's Day, let's celebrate some of Canada's female heroes of the past and not-so distant past. Ben Johnson also won a gold medal at the 1985 World Indoor Championships. 1 Georges St-Pierre (One of the Greatest Fighters in the History of Mixed Martial Arts) 37 21 Listed In: Sportspersons Birthdate: May 19, 1981 Sun Sign: Taurus Height: 5'10" (178 cm) 2 Glenn Ford (One of the Most Prominent Actors During Hollywood's Golden Age) 70 12 Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities Birthdate: May 1, 1916 Sun Sign: Taurus He holds the Canadian record in high jump, clearing 2.40m in 2014. Previously dominated by the Europeans, Greene took over in 1967 winning the inaugural World Cup and seven out of 16 events on the circuit that year. Here we profile the ultimate fighter for clean sport and a woman who changes the conversation around ability. Adriana John 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. 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. 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. 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. Now such a list will undoubtedly bring about some strong opinions (rightfully so) so lets just get a few things out of the way first. She won three gold medals in total at the Commonwealth Games in 1990 and 1994. Harold Ballard was made an inductee of the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1977 and 1987 respectively. 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. Basketball runs in the Parker family. Our team will be reviewing your submission and get back to you with any further questions. As one of the worlds best decathletes, London, Ontarios Damian Warner is deserving of a spot on this list of the best Canadian athletes. He won a gold medal at the 1934 British Empire Games in London, where he represented British Guiana. Canadian track and field athlete and Paralympian Rick Hansen is a 3-time Paralympic Games champion. She retired in January of this year with 168 goals and 211 assists to her name in just 276 career games. Zidane is a Muslim of Algerian-French descent. 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. The first of five hockey players on the list is also the most obvious. However, Captain Charisma had so much more to offer to the fans of WWE. FouKi See on Instagram 27 Jul 1996: Donovan Bailey of Canada #1197 defeats Frankie Fredericks of Namibia #1962 and Dennis Mitchell of the USA for the gold medal in th 100m final at the Olympic Stadium at the 1996. He is the eighth of nine children of Alma Elaine Conroy (ne Donnelly), a . Axelle/Bauer-Griffin 22/35 Rachel McAdams This Mean Girl was born in London, Ontario. 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). Edmonton basketball stars Michelle and Katherine Plouffe captured gold at the 2015 Pan Am Games, in between representing Canada at back-to-back Olympic Games. Christine Sinclair Hometown: Burnaby, B.C. Mario Lemieux -- When looking at the top-five French speaking players of all time, No . by 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. An advocate for Indigenous issues, Chalmers has made efforts to connect with and inspire . ski industry. In 1996, Tom Longboat was honored posthumously with an induction into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Canada is a nation that has an incredibly diverse interest in sports. Milos Raonic, a tennis player, was born in the former Yugoslavia, but moved with his family to Canada when he was 3 years old. Wickenheiser also represented Canada once in the Summer Olympics as a part of the softball team. ), if Nancy Greene pounced, there wasn't much her competition could do about it. 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. He returned to Canada after being granted amnesty in 1844. She's the only athlete in history to win multiple medals at both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. 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. Named the Female Athlete of the First Half-Century by Canada, she also excelled in hockey, apart from track and field. 5 Bobsleigh. Tony Parkers dad and two siblings also played professional basketball. Drouin is the reigning Olympic and World Champion in Mens High Jump, as he won gold at the 2015 World Championships and 2016 Olympics. As a professional tennis player, she is currently ranked no. Sufia Banu Only in his 20s, Mbapp is regarded as one of the best football players in the world, having already won more trophies than most players do in their entire 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. She also set Canadian womens records in the 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly. 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. She never toed the line. Article Angela Chalmers. Candice Quigley Two different events. She has been tireless in advocating for fitness and an active lifestyle and at 76 years old, she's still carving turns. Discover a wealth of interesting, entertaining and informative stories in each issue, delivered to you six times per year. Probably Canada's most famous Paralympic athlete, he's won three golds, two silvers and one bronze between 1980 and 1984. Called the greatest hockey player of all time by many and its unlikely hell lose that title anytime soon. Hughes is known for her athletic achievements as well as her humanitarian work. In 2022, Andre De Grasse won a gold medal at the World Championships. After being elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada, Papineau became the leader of the Parti Canadien, which later became the Patriote party. In 2022, Andre De Grasse won a gold medal at the World Championships. A native of Smith Falls, Ontario, Henderson also represented Canada at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Full statement, Copyright 2023Canadas History Society | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions, Website designed and developed by ecentricarts.com, Historical Thinking Community of Practice. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. He later coached the US Naval Academy team and also co-designed a safer hurdle. She won bronze at the 2002 Salt Lake City games, a gold and silver in the 2006 Turin games and another bronze on home soil at the 2010 Vancouver games. (Photo: National Archives Bookstore.) She was a downhill skier before switching to cycling at the urging of her coach, Patrice Ciprelli, who later became her husband. He campaigned for greater independence for Lower Canada, which was dominated by an influential British minority. Georges St. Pierre Hometown: Montreal, Quebec. He became famous for his endurance and the way he finished a race with a spectacular burst of speed. She died in 1981, leaving a powerful legacy of championing the rights of women and the underprivileged. Five years later, he received his first players license. She followed those medals up with four medals over the span of three Winter Games in speedskating. Brooke has been a top-10 competitor on the LPGA for a couple years now, but she's still just 21 years old. In 2011, Velma Springstead was posthumously elected as a member of the Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame. Anglo-Jamaican in origin, the sportsperson specializes in 100m and 200m and began his athletic career with the USC Trojans while in college. MacLennan's second gold was even more remarkable given her battle back from post-concussion syndrome in the lead-up to the Games. In 1942, she ran for federal election as a Liberal and lost. Samir Hussein 23/35 Michael Bubl Born in Burnaby, British Columbia, the crooner is one of Canada's most. Our focus was to represent aboriginal people on the world stage in sport and I think that's what we did.". Her biggest win so far in her career is a victory at the 2016 KPMG Womens PGA Championship. Ron Turcotte is a Canadian former race horse jockey. Vote for Your Favourite People Born In Quebec, (One of the Greatest Fighters in the History of Mixed Martial Arts), (One of the Most Prominent Actors During Hollywood's Golden Age), (Film Director, Screenwriter, Playwright), (Canadian TV and Film Actor and Voice Actor), (Canadian Artist Who Held a Guinness World Record for His Full-Body Tattoos), (Canadian Voice Actor, Illustrator, Blogger, and Former Animator), (American Designer of Firearms Who Created the 'M1 Garand', a Semi-automatic Rifle), (German Actress, Comedian, Television Presenter, and Voice Actress), (Vlogger and Host of the Popular YouTube Show 'Epic Meal Time'), (Mixed martial artist, Taekwondo athlete), (Canadian Writer, Novelist, Poet, and Playwright). 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. Candice Quigley 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!) Gordie Howe, or Mr. Nash retired with the highest free throw percentage in NBA history at 90.42%. Percy Williams was a Canadian athlete best remembered for winning two gold medals at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. She is currently ranked an impressive 8th in the world at her sport, a position that she will no doubt surpass in the future. He transformed from a moderate politician to a radical, openly attacking institutions such as the Legislative Council, whose non-elected members controlled the country.