Browse "Athletes"

Anne Ottenbrite, swimmer (b at Whitby, Ont 12 May 1966). Ottenbrite showed promise as a swimmer early in life. As a 3 year old, swimming was made enjoyable and recreational: her father often played games of chase with her, and

Annie Pelletier, diver (b at Montréal 22 Dec 1973). Under the supervision of coach Donald Dion she passed through all the steps toward international success. In 1991, she became a member of the Canadian national team.

Perreault missed the Olympics at Lillehammer in 1994 due to a severe concussion sustained at the Canadian Olympic trials. Five months prior to the 1998 games at Nagano, Perreault had surgery on both shins to relieve a chronic problem with compartment syndrome.

​Arthur Howey Ross, hockey player, inventor/innovator and NHL team executive (born 13 January 1885 in Naughton [Sudbury], ON; died 5 August 1964 in Medford, Massachusetts). Ross was considered a top defenseman during a playing career that included several years as a professional (with a brief stint in the fledgling National Hockey League). Following his retirement as a player in 1918, Ross worked as an NHL referee and coached the NHL’s Hamilton Tigers in 1922–23. The Boston Bruins hired him when they entered the league in 1924, and Ross served as coach, general manager and vice president (often holding all three titles at once) until 1954. Ross also invented improved versions of the hockey puck and goalie nets that were used for decades in the NHL, and introduced many of the rules that modernized the game.

​Ashleigh McIvor, freestyle skier (born 15 September 1983 in Vancouver, BC). At the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, McIvor won the gold medal for Canada in women’s ski cross, the first female Olympic champion of the sport.

Aurèle Joliat, hockey player (b at Ottawa 29 Aug 1901; d at Ottawa 1 June 1986). Left-winger for the Montreal Canadiens 1922-38. In 644 games, and despite his 170 cm height and meagre 61 kg weight, he amassed 270 goals and 190 assists.

Cecil Henry Dye, "Babe," hockey player (b at Hamilton, Ont 13 May 1898; d 2 Jan 1962). His learning the skills of hockey from his mother on a backyard rink in Toronto became part of hockey lore.

Barbara Aileen Wagner, figure skater (b at Toronto 5 May 1938). Wagner and partner Robert Paul formed the outstanding Canadian figure skating team that dominated the international pairs event 1957-62.

Barbara Ann Scott, figure skater (born at Ottawa, Ont, 9 May 1928; died at Amelia Island, US, 30 Sept 2012).

Ducking out of the freezing rain on a bitter Chicago night, the woman once dubbed Canada's Sweetheart arrives at Hugo's Frog Bar to a movie star's welcome.

Barbara Howard, athlete, educator (born 8 May 1920 in Vancouver, BC; died 26 January 2017 in Vancouver). Barbara Howard is believed to be the first Black female athlete to represent Canada in international competition. At only 17 years old, she broke the British Empire record for the 100-yard dash, qualifying to represent Canada at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney, Australia. At the Games, she finished sixth in the 100-yard race but won silver and bronze medals as part of the 440-yard and 660-yard relay teams. Howard never competed in the Olympic Games, which were cancelled in 1940 and 1944 because of the Second World War. In 1941, she became the first racialized person to be hired by the Vancouver School Board. She had a 43-year career in education, including 14 years as a physical education teacher, before retiring in 1984.

Barbara Ann Underhill, figure skater (b at Pembroke, Ont 24 June 1963). She began pair figure skating with Paul Martini in 1978 and they won the Junior World Championships that year.

Sometimes the past is interesting, not because of its long-term historical significance or because it might teach us some questionable lesson about the present, but simply because it contains wondrous reminders of the serendipity of fate. I am fascinated by a goal that Bill Barilko scored on 21 April 1951, not because it was a precursor to Paul Henderson's life-saving marker in 1972, or to Sidney Crosby's goal of redemption at the 2010 Olympics, but because I was there.

Barney Hartman, skeet shooter (b at Swan River, Man 2 Nov 1916).

In a sport dominated by European athletes, Scott is a lone North American success story in international cross-country ski competition. Her success leading up to the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Games was gradual.

Ben Johnson, track and field athlete (b at Falmouth, Jamaica 30 Dec 1961). In 1976 Johnson immigrated to Canada and was attracted to competitive sprinting, initially in the 100 and 200 m.

​Benoît Huot, swimmer (born 24 January 1984 in Longueuil, QC). One of Canada’s most successful swimmers, Huot has won 20 medals at the Paralympic Games, 12 medals at the Parapan American Games and over 30 medals at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Swimming Championships.

Bernard "Bernie" Allan Federko, hockey player (b at Foam Lake, Sask 12 May 1956). Bernie Federko was considered the consummate team player during his National Hockey League career, and his record for assists is still among the best in the NHL.

Bertrand Godin, competitive driver, automotive columnist, host (born at Saint-Hélène-de-Bagot, Que 17 Nov 1967).

Betsy Clifford, alpine skier (b at Old Chelsea, Qué 15 Oct 1953). Practically raised on the slopes of her father's Camp Fortune ski area, she began skiing at age 5. At 12 she was national junior champion and at 13 Canadian senior slalom champion (1967).