Étienne Desmarteau

Étienne Desmarteau

Article by

Jean R. Duperreault

Published Online	August 5, 2008
Last Edited	March 4, 2015

Étienne Desmarteau, strongman (b at Boucherville, Qué 4 Feb 1873; d at Montréal 29 Oct 1905). A Montréal policeman, Étienne Desmarteau excelled in tug-of-war and weight-throwing events and was

Étienne Desmarteau captured the gold medal in the 56-lb throw at the 1904 St Louis Olympics.

Strongman Étienne Desmarteau, gold medallist in the 56-lb throw at the 1904 St Louis Olympics. Desmarteau died of typhoid fever later that year. A Montreal park was named in his honour in 1972, as was a sports centre in 1976, prior to the opening of the Montreal Olympics (courtesy Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, www.sportshall.ca).

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Desmarteau, Étienne

Étienne Desmarteau, strongman (b at Boucherville, Qué 4 Feb 1873; d at Montréal 29 Oct 1905). A Montréal policeman, Étienne Desmarteau excelled in tug-of-war and weight-throwing events and was the first Canadian to win an Olympic gold medal. He won the world heavy-weight and the junior world hammer-throwing championships in 1902, captured the gold medal in the 56-lb throw at the 1904 St Louis Olympics and set two 56-lb world records in 1905, but died of typhoid fever later that year. In 1972, Montréal dedicated a park to Étienne Desmarteau's memory.