Introducing a few of the many Montralers who became important figures in Canadian history. 1. There are a number of Canadians doing good things on the PGA Tour, but that wasnt always the case. Sinclair serves as the captain of the national team and is Canada's all-time leader in caps (247) and goals (167). He is deemed one of the worlds greatest athletes. 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 Those include Sidney Crosby, Milos Raonic, Penny Oleksiak and Andre de Grasse, just to name a few. An MFC middleweight champion, he has also won 3 UFC titles. List features athletes like Kaillie Humphries, Lynn Kanuka-Williams. 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. Throughout the years, hundreds of Canadian athletes have made their mark on the world of sport and represented Canada at the highest level. 6 6. Jessica Biel (born 1982), American actress with distant French roots. She's a major reason why the team won back-to-back bronze medals in the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics. 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. He also scored one the most famous goals in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup (pictured above). Clara Hughes (Road Cycling/Speed Skating) Hughes has won six Olympic medals in her . This article originally appeared in the April-May 2017issue ofCanadas History. He gave up his lucrative running career in 1916 to enlist in the Canadian Armed Forces where his endurance was invaluable as a dispatch carrier in France; he was wounded twice and declared dead once. They set off the following spring, reaching le de Montral and founding Ville-Marie. Simmerling made history at Rio 2016 by becoming the first Canadian athlete to compete in three different sports in three different Olympic Games. bizarre and unfortunate Olympic qualifying rules and domestic standards, She later stepped down as head of the WADA athlete's committee, CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. Kurt Browning. He played professionally for Cannes in 1989. She was a downhill skier before switching to cycling at the urging of her coach, Patrice Ciprelli, who later became her husband. He won a gold medal at the 1934 British Empire Games in London, where he represented British Guiana. Get exclusive content you wont find in our magazines. 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. 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. Cecil Smith, her sister Maude "Jim" Smith, and Constance Wilson competed for Canada in figure skating at the 1928 . Lionel Conacher Hometown: Toronto, Ontario. George-tienne Cartiers vision of a Canada that combined the British and French nations was the basis for the creation of our modern country. Take a trip to Montreal with this audiowalk to learn about the citys history. He is best known for winning the gold medal in the 110m hurdles event at the 1992 Olympic Games. Hundreds of thousands came out to celebrate and in 1950, Rosenfeld was named Canada's female athlete of the first half of the century. He won a Grey Cup, a Memorial Cup, two Stanley Cups and even a baseball championship in the International League. She is an Olympic gold-medalist and 13-time world champion who also competed in track bicycle racing events. A large part of that is the career of Christine Sinclair, who can be considered one of the best females to ever play the game. And that wasn't the end of it. After a spinal cord injury at 15, he became a paraplegic. He also has bronze medals from the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2013 World Championships. In 2019, The Sports Network named Rachel Homan the fourth-greatest Canadian female curler of all time. According to the 2016 census,Frenchwas the mother tongue language of 7,166,705 people, or 21 per cent of the Canadian population. Wiggins entered the NBA in 2014 after being chosen first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Entry Draft. 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. She has been tireless in advocating for fitness and an active lifestyle and at 76 years old, she's still carving turns. Her bronze in the 5,000 metres in Vancouver was epic. He also won a gold medal at the 1981 Pacific Conference Games and at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. This laid the groundwork for a federation of the British colonies. updated May 7, 2015, 5:50 pm, by Her biography has been translated into 23 different languages on wikipedia. Fiction Feature: Its Manitoba in 1888. Greene is now a large figure in the B.C. This is all thanks to his world-famous eponymous polo shirt brand with the crocodile logo. Canadas national womens soccer team is currently ranked in the top ten, thanks in part to the skills of captain Christine Sinclair. 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 Steve Nash Hometown: Johannesburg, South Africa (immigrated to Regina, Saskatchewan then Victoria, B.C.). Their homecoming to Toronto was nuts. Mark McKoy is a Canadian former track and field athlete. Canada's female athlete of the century famous (sharing the century honours with Wayne Gretzky). Ethel Smith (1907 - 1979). Nicknamed Tiger (well before the golfer! Mbapp was born to a Cameroonian father and an Algerian mother in Paris. Eventually Bourassa resigned from the Liberal party and became an independent MP. Nash retired with the highest free throw percentage in NBA history at 90.42%. He defended his world title eight times before coming out of four-year retirement to win the middleweight world title in 2017. Lou Marsh was a Canadian athlete who participated in a wide variety of sports during his playing career. A 4-time Olympian and an Olympic gold medalist, retired Canadian track and field athlete Bruny Surin has been a master of the 4100m relay. updated March 31, 2019, 10:41 am, by 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. Christine Sinclair, one of the best female soccer players ever, comes in at #8 on our list. She became a dual-season Olympian at PyeongChang 2018 when she won bronze with Kaillie Humphries in bobsleigh. 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. Widely regarded as Canadas top female athlete of the 20th century, Greene was a trailblazer for female Canadian athletes. Nancy Greene 7. A long-time member of the Canadian national team, Sinclair currently has the 2nd most international goals in female soccer history. A lot can happen in four years. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. Henri Bourassa, born in 1868 in Montral, had a significant impact on Canadian politics through his nationalist position, which still resonates today. 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. 5 Bobsleigh. Noted for his top speed, he became the first Canadian to legally break the 10-second barrier in the 100 meters. He later quit sports to pursue acting. He is the first Jamaican-born athlete to win a medal at the Winter Olympics. Georges St Pierre may not be as well known as some of the other athletes on this list, but among combat sports fans, hes a legend. Aside from the Masters, Weir had seven other PGA Tour victories between 1999 and 2007. Starting off our list we have Andrew Wiggins, the professional basketball player from the NBAs Minnesota Timberwolves. In 1996, Tom Longboat was honored posthumously with an induction into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. 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. She won the French road race Championship that same year. 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. updated December 20, 2017, 7:59 pm, by 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? To celebrate Canadas 150th anniversary, KelownaNow is shining a light on our amazing country. Kim Brunhuber, former CBC anchor Pierre Bruneau, TVA Nathalie Chung, RDI / SRC Bernard Derome, SRC / RDI Simon Durivage, RDI / SRC Cline Galipeau, SRC / RDI Bill Haugland, CTV Jean-Luc Mongrain, TQS, TVA Pascale Nadeau, SRC Mutsumi Takahashi, CTV Sophie Thibault, TVA Todd van der Heyden, CTV Artists and entertainers [ edit] Her ski schools were everywhere. It may be shocking to see the likes of Lemieux, Roy and Messier missing but rest assured their talents are not overlooked. He later coached the US Naval Academy team and also co-designed a safer hurdle. He refused to take his salary as a Member of Parliament under Wilfrid Laurier and challenged the imperialist tendencies in the cabinet. A member . However, these did not stop him from becoming one of the greatest athletes France has ever had. With millions of followers, he is definitely one of France most famous athletes on social media. He continues to inspire countless Canadians after all these years. Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a former football star who played as an attacking midfielder. 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. In 1980, Ron Turcotte was elected as a member of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. Ferguson Jenkins Hometown: Chatham, Ontario. He had a permanently damaged lung due to an accident. Signing up enhances your TCE experience with the ability to save items to your personal reading list, and access the interactive map. Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe are two among the most famous ice hockey players the country has seen. Playing in other North American professional leagues, Former NCAA Division I players awaiting professional play. He also won a gold medal at the 1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships. Cindy Klassen Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba. 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. That was then. He has been knighted by the Quebec government. 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. 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). Phil Edwards was a Guyanese-born Canadian track and field athlete who specialized in middle-distance events. His illustrious career has seen him compete internationally for Jamaica, Canada, and Monaco. He became famous for his endurance and the way he finished a race with a spectacular burst of speed. 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. She was 15 when she began training in hurdles. After being elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada, Papineau became the leader of the Parti Canadien, which later became the Patriote party. However, in recent years a number of Canadians in various sports have made an impact at the highest levels. She returned to her first love of speed skating in 2002, winning medals in three straight Winter Olympics. Birthplace: Bruges, Belgium; raised in France. You can help make our past relevant, engaging, empowering and accessible. Longo's professional racing career started in 1979. 3 Badminton. Two different events. She won the French road race Championship that same year. 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. When things went wrong in seventeenth-century Quebec, authorities were not above blaming black magic. Canada is a nation that has an incredibly diverse interest in sports. Her fierce stance against drug cheats earned her respect from athletes worldwide, but also the ire of the suits in the room. Canadian athlete Earl Thomson, or Tommy Thomson, scripted history as the first non-American to win a 110m hurdles Olympic gold medal. 47in world ranking. Angela Frances Chalmers, world-class distance runner from Birdtail Sioux First Nation (born 6 September 1963 in Brandon, MB).Chalmers is one of the most accomplished Indigenous athletes in Canada. 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. Marcheline Bertrand, actress of half French-Canadian ancestry, mother of actress Angelina Jolie. She retired after 2012 London Games after finishing fifth in the time trial. Christine Sinclair is a Canadian soccer player who plays for the Canadian national team as a forward. He also won the 4x100m relay at the 2018 NACAC Championships. Desai Williams also worked as a coach and trained Olympic athletes like Phylicia George, Justyn Warner, and Tremaine Harris among others. Her hard work and leadership provide an excellent example for other aspiring athletes. 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. Post-retirement, he has been working as a power skating coach. Given the popularity of hockey in Canada, its only fitting a hockey player tops this list of the Top 10 Canadian Athletes. He is the eighth of nine children of Alma Elaine Conroy (ne Donnelly), a . . Fanny "Bobbie" Rosenfeld was the premiere sprinter of the Games. You dont earn a name like The Great One without being something special. 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. 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. In 1979, he wasinductedintothe National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted. Known for his mix of speed, power, skill, and grit. A significant milestone, but even more significant is that hes also the first Canadian to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. They were 19-year-old pups when they represented Canada in London 2012 and veterans when the team finished seventh in Rio 2016. He won three Welterweight Championships between 2006 and 2008 and was listed as the number one welterweight in the world for several years. Between Shirley and Sharon, they won 48 Canadian championships. She's regarded as the greatest women's hockey player of all-time, but at one point, she traded in that hockey stick, helmet & shoulder pads for a bat, ball & glove. French is also the first official language spoken by 22 per cent of the Canadian population. He bred and raced Standardbred horses as a hobby. Similarly to Andre De Grasse, Penny Oleksiak used the 2016 Summer Olympics as a means to catapult herself to the forefront of her sport. 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. An artists essay became a call-to-arms for social change. However, France has also produced some of the worlds most famous athletes. Melissa Benoist, American actress, of partial French descent through paternal great-grandfather. Naomi Osaka. Today, Longo is an all-time great racing cyclist who still competes on the Masters circuits in her 60s. He won gold twice at the 1996 games and was the record-holder for the 100m sprint. 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. He hasnt left the sport entirely, playing for charity and coaching after his retirement. When you have those kinds of stats, you can find yourself on a Google Doodle or in a Heritage Minute. He holds the Canadian record in high jump, clearing 2.40m in 2014. Born in Montral in 1786, he grew up at his familys estate and studied law. Despite a short career, Owen Hart is one of the greatest Canadian wrestlers of all time. You probably don't know these names, but you should. Donovan Bailey 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. Gordie Howe He retired in 2019, ending his basketball career as the ninth leading post-season scorer in NBA history. Canada's national men's soccer team leaves much to be desired and are currently ranked 78th in the world. Mario Lemieux -- When looking at the top-five French speaking players of all time, No . Jamaican-born Canadian bobsledder Lascelles Brown is an Olympic silver medalist and a former World Champion. Zidane is a Muslim of Algerian-French descent. 8. In PyeongChang 2018, Humphries partnered with sprinter Phylicia George winning a bronze medal. 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. When the American Revolution (1775-1783 . The Haitian-born athlete had moved to Canada as a child. Oendrila De 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. Explore a timeline of Montreals 375-year history! Conacher succeeded in a number of sports including football, hockey, baseball, lacrosse, boxing and wrestling. Stefanie Reid has also won a gold medal at the 2014 European Championships and 2017 World Championships. Canada's greatest wheelchair racer of all-time blazes trails wherever her career takes her - as an athlete, advocate or politician. She did it in her 500-metre specialty at both the 1998 and 2002 Games. Historic Irish neighbourhood is enjoying a renaissance. Ren Lacoste had fared well in his athletics career as well. In the early 2000s, Mike Weir was the guy from Canada and he was one of the best players on tour. Better known as GSP, Georges helped to turn the UFC and mixed martial arts mainstream. 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 Canadian Press awards the Lionel Conacher award to the countrys male athlete of the year. Nicknamed the bulldog of Britannia, Longboat also served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force as a soldier during the First World War. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 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. In span of his career, he had 10 grand slams to boot, 24 career titles, and was at No. 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. Similarly to Wiggins, Connor McDavid is a young superstar taking his sport by storm. Donovan Bailey Hometown: Manchester, Jamaica (immigrated to Oakville, Ontario). He also piled up 11 top-10 and four top-5 major finishes in his career. 2021 all rights reserved, SeasonedPros.ca. In 1910 he founded the newspaper Le Devoir to share his perspective. Together, they sang O Canada, tears of joy in their eyes, while nearby stood proud eldest sister Maxime, who finished 12th. ), if Nancy Greene pounced, there wasn't much her competition could do about it.