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Old 08-05-2021, 01:55 PM   #1
Kidder
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Default Who is your Favourite Olympic Athlete of All Time?

Talking summer Olympics. Was originally going to do Canadian, but maybe some enjoy the mastery of a Phelps or Bolt, or come from another country with a local hero they admire.

For me: Simon Whitfield.

I watched the entire Triathlon in Sydney, I believe it was the first event of those Olympics. Being the inaugural Olympic triathlon I don’t think there were many expectations of who was favourite to win, but to watch Simon Whitfield come from the obscurity of the pack to rise to the top was incredibly inspiring.

And then, 8 years later, to watch him almost do it again. The last kick to grab the pole position only to be overtaken down the final stretch but hang on to the silver. What an athlete and what a performance.

Other notables for me:
Silken Laumann.
And of course Donovan Bailey.

Wonder if Damian Warner tops the list for anyone now.
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Old 08-05-2021, 02:01 PM   #2
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Clara Hughes

6 medals, split between two sports. I believe she is the only athlete in the world to win multiple medals at summer and winter games.

Couple that with her candor regarding her mental health and her ongoing mental health advocacy really puts her in a category all by herself.
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Old 08-05-2021, 02:11 PM   #3
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well this is a pretty Golden era for Canadian Summer Olympians right now : Oleskiak, Degrasse, Warner and oh yes Christine Sinclair all come to mind- also a few that don't have the hardware but I think the world of Ellie Black, Aaron Brown etc


I like the arguments for Whitfield and Hughes.



I'm partial too to Donovan Bailey but I prefer to think of him more in the context with his relay group


there are some other great stories with local connections- Shewfelt and Tewksbury come to mind


not sure I can pick!
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Old 08-05-2021, 02:32 PM   #4
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My favourite will still be Donovan Bailey. I remember watching him in the 100m growing up and being glued to the tv.

Then getting the chance to meet him at the '01 World Track & Field Championships was the icing on the cake. Just a great man who felt bigger than life when up next to him.

Hard to not toss in Oleskiak & Sinclair now for the summer olympics or Catriona Le May Done or Clara Hughes for the winter games.
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Old 08-05-2021, 02:33 PM   #5
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Double Post

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Old 08-05-2021, 03:08 PM   #6
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first started watching the Olympics in 1984. Vivid memories of watching Alex Baumann win two Olympic gold medals, and Victor Davis winning a gold in their respective swimming events, all in World Record time, and the pool was outdoors
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Old 08-05-2021, 03:17 PM   #7
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It's a tie.

Erica Wiebe - My dog and I met her at the airport and she was very nice.
Mark Tewksbury - I listened to a presentation he gave at a convention once and he casually passed his medals around this huge auditorium, so everyone could have a close look.
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Old 08-05-2021, 03:38 PM   #8
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Mark Tewksbury - I listened to a presentation he gave at a convention once and he casually passed his medals around this huge auditorium, so everyone could have a close look.
I have the same story and with Glenroy Gilbert- little doubt those little things- being in their presence and handling their gold medal goes a long way
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Old 08-05-2021, 03:41 PM   #9
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first started watching the Olympics in 1984. Vivid memories of watching Alex Baumann win two Olympic gold medals, and Victor Davis winning a gold in their respective swimming events, all in World Record time, and the pool was outdoors
with the 80 Boycott- I would say that the 84 games were also my first with real vivid memories- lots of names stick from those games- I think those are the big 2, but Anne Ottenbrite, the boxers DeWitt and O'Sullivan, Lori Fung (first time I knew that was a sport), and sigh this quiet guy I didn't know much about named Johnson nabbing 3rd in the 100 and the relay- to my mind Desai Williams was the more famous sprinter at that point
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Old 08-05-2021, 03:55 PM   #10
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Ben Johnson.
Mike Smith (the good one, not the E=NG crappy one)
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Old 08-05-2021, 03:56 PM   #11
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Christine Sinclair. For so long she’s dragged the Canadians to new heights all by herself. Finally she has a team around her in likely her last Olympics
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Old 08-05-2021, 04:44 PM   #12
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Jarome Iginla /thread


Donovan Bailey if counting summer only.


Edit: How could I forget Steve Nash?!?
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Old 08-05-2021, 04:50 PM   #13
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Cassius Clay
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Old 08-05-2021, 05:03 PM   #14
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So many great Canadian options, like others have mentioned Clara Hughes comes to mind for me right away. I loved watching Adam Van Koeverden race, the Gold in Athens of course is memorable but I vividly remember the 1000m silver in London.
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Old 08-05-2021, 05:10 PM   #15
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Also, I’ll add Catriona Le May Doan and Sandra Schmirler.
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Old 08-05-2021, 05:17 PM   #16
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Cassius Clay
yeah I guess he and Owens come to mind for global importance


Jim Thorpe another interesting one
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Old 08-05-2021, 05:17 PM   #17
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Jarome Iginla /thread

Jim Peplinski FTW
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Old 08-05-2021, 05:20 PM   #18
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Probably an unpopular one here but Ian Millar! Captain Canada.
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Old 08-05-2021, 05:48 PM   #19
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Summer would be Simon Whitfield. Winter would be Chandra Crawford. I went on a gold medal plates trip with them to Sonoma. It was an amazing weekend of cycling and drinking wine. Simon was awesome to hang out with.
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Old 08-05-2021, 06:39 PM   #20
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For the most part, my favorites will be the 2010 athletes, because I was there and really into the games.

And out of them, Iggy is my favorite.
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