List of French sportspeople - Wikipedia Adriana John The list features athletes from a wide variety of sports and eras. Born in a poor neighboorhood in the 15th arrondissement of Marseille, Zidane started playing football at age 5. She is an Olympic gold-medalist and 13-time world champion who also competed in track bicycle racing events. She ran the anchor leg for Jane Bell, Ethel Smith and Myrtle Cook as Canada won gold in the inaugural 4x100-metre relay. 8. A significant milestone, but even more significant is that hes also the first Canadian to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Hi, Im Christine a full-time traveler and career woman. Anglo-Jamaican in origin, the sportsperson specializes in 100m and 200m and began his athletic career with the USC Trojans while in college. Raonic is undoubtedly the best Canadian mens tennis player today, evidenced by the fact he has been named Tennis Canadas male player of the year every year since 2011. She retired in January of this year with 168 goals and 211 assists to her name in just 276 career games. Desai Williams was a Canadian sprinter best remembered for winning a bronze medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. 2021 all rights reserved, SeasonedPros.ca. She intends to go for gold again with the Stars and Stripes at Beijing 2022. At that point, Greene had already won several high-profile events in Canada and The States. She is currently ranked an impressive 8th in the world at her sport, a position that she will no doubt surpass in the future. Born in Montral in 1786, he grew up at his family's estate and studied law. Known for his mix of speed, power, skill, and grit. Nancy Greene, nicknamed Tiger for her aggressive style of skiing, is one of the most decorated alpine skiers in Canadian history. Candice Quigley Indigenous Athletes | The Canadian Encyclopedia A lot can happen in four years. 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. 3 Badminton. 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? They were 19-year-old pups when they represented Canada in London 2012 and veterans when the team finished seventh in Rio 2016. 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. Named the Female Athlete of the First Half-Century by Canada, she also excelled in hockey, apart from track and field. After being elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada, Papineau became the leader of the Parti Canadien, which later became the Patriote party. There are parks and lakes and mountain peaks and streets and buildings named after her. She has worn the Canadian jersey at 4 FIFA Womens World Cups and 3 Summer Olympic Games, earning bronze medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. After a spinal cord injury at 15, he became a paraplegic. You probably don't know these names, but you should. He remains the only defenseman to lead the league in scoring, which he did twice, although Brent Burns is trying his best to join Orr in that regard this season. 15 Inspirational Asian Canadians to Know | Elle Canada Those include Sidney Crosby, Milos Raonic, Penny Oleksiak and Andre de Grasse, just to name a few. When things went wrong in seventeenth-century Quebec, authorities were not above blaming black magic. Despite the late entry into sprinting, De Grasse burst onto the scene in 2015 by winning the 100m and 200m events at the NCAA Championships while representing the University of Southern California. In the 1920s, she helped found the Provincial Franchise Committee for Womens Suffrage and began fighting for the right for women to vote provincially in Qubec a battle that would last more than two decades before victory was achieved. Full statement, Copyright 2023Canadas History Society | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions, Website designed and developed by ecentricarts.com, Historical Thinking Community of Practice. Klassen won five medals for Team Canada, despite the fact that there are far less medals available in the Winter Games. The 25 greatest figure skaters of all time | Yardbarker Ethel May Smith (July 5, 1907 - December 31, 1979) was a sprinter from Canada who won two medals at the Amsterdam 1928 Summer Olympics: a bronze medal in the 100 m, and a gold team medal in the 4 100 m relay. In 2022, Andre De Grasse won a gold medal at the World Championships. 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. She's the only female Paralympian to win the Lou Marsh Award as the top athlete in Canada (2008). Athletes Who've Spoken About Mental Health Struggles - Insider 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. In the unpredictable world of bobsleigh, Humphries - the top driver in the world - was looking for every little edge to be the best. If you liked this article, please share it! She's a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, the IIHF Hall of Fame and is currently the Assistant Director of Player Development for the Toronto Maple Leafs. named GSP the Canadian Athlete of the Year in 2008, 2009 and 2010, and only Anderson Silva (2,457 days) had a longer title run than GSP (2,204 days). He holds the Canadian record in the decathlon, and seeing how he has continued to improve throughout his career, look for him to keep making an impact at the international level in the future. The list is in alphabetical order based on last name. The Hub is brought to you by Boomerswork.com where we put your experience to work. Clara Hughes (Road Cycling/Speed Skating) Hughes has won six Olympic medals in her . Sinclair has won the Canada Soccer Player of the Year award an outstanding 12 times in her career and is a 6 time nominee of FIFAs World Player of the Year award. 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). A member . We recognize the resilience of Indigenous storytellers and Knowledge Keepers who have kept their stories alive despite attempts to silence them. A cyclist and a speed skater, she set records for not only Canadians, but athletes from all over the world. Shes considered one of the best female soccer players of all time and has 296 appearances and 186 goals for Canada. Signing up enhances your TCE experience with the ability to save items to your personal reading list, and access the interactive map. To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Canadian teammate Ethel Catherwood won gold in high jump. Once in Qubec City, she met Marie-Madeleine de Chauvigny de la Peltrie, founder of the Ursulines in Qubec. Orr won eight consecutive Norris Trophies as the NHLs best defenseman and three consecutive Hart Trophies as the leagues MVP. Had it not been for some bizarre and unfortunate Olympic qualifying rules and domestic standards,they would have competed at Tokyo 2020 in the debut of 3-on-3 basketball and been a medal favourite. To celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2015, The Canadian Encyclopedia created 30 lists of 30 things that make us proud to be Canadian, from famous people and historic events, to iconic foods and influential artists. In 1942, she ran for federal election as a Liberal and lost. Is it better for French-speaking and English-speaking friends to go to school together, or to have a chance to learn in their own language? More than any other player, Howe played the whole game. He retired in 2019, ending his basketball career as the ninth leading post-season scorer in NBA history. Greene is now a large figure in the B.C. He had a permanently damaged lung due to an accident. 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. Ron Turcotte is a Canadian former race horse jockey. In 1996, Tom Longboat was honored posthumously with an induction into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. 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. 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.". 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. He once held the world record for the 100 meters and is considered the greatest Canadian sprinter of all time. He also won the 4x100m relay at the 2018 NACAC Championships. ), if Nancy Greene pounced, there wasn't much her competition could do about it. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. 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. Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a former football star who played as an attacking midfielder. 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. 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. Here are the Top 10 Canadian athletes in the world today. 4 Biathlon. Cartier persuaded French Canadians that this type of union would be more sympathetic to the French Catholic cause than an alliance with the United States. He owned the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL and their home arena, Maple Leaf Gardens. Mance quickly established a basic hospital that would later become the Htel-Dieu de Montral. However, the most impressive thing about Oleksiak may be that shes only 16 years of age; more medals and accolades appear to be in her future. (Photo: National Archives Bookstore.) 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] Percy Williams is widely regarded as the greatest Canadian Olympic athlete of all time. Le May Doan was the first female speed skater to break the 38-second barrier in the 500-metre event and is also the first Canadian to successfully defend a gold medal in the same event at an Olympics. He also piled up 11 top-10 and four top-5 major finishes in his career. 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. updated February 20, 2022, 5:07 am, by Paris Olympics 2024: What We Know So Far - Journey To France, [] as the most environmentally friendly ever, with recycled medals, 100 percent renewable energy, and athletes sleeping on cardboard [], COPYRIGHT 2023 JOURNEY TO FRANCE | Birch on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, 7 Most Famous French Athletes Of All Time, https://www.facebook.com/Journey-To-France-100107831746499/. An MFC middleweight champion, he has also won 3 UFC titles. 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. In 1916 she married Pierre Casgrain, a federal Liberal politician. When you have those kinds of stats, you can find yourself on a Google Doodle or in a Heritage Minute. Canadians may remember the iconic image of her skating around the Salt Lake City Oval with a Canada flag in her hand and a black stetson on her head. When it comes to sports in which Canadians are underrepresented, being the first goes a long way. She is the first Canadian-born player representing Canada to reach the finals of a Grand Slam in singles. 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. Naomi Osaka. Lou Marsh was a Canadian athlete who participated in a wide variety of sports during his playing career. He played professionally for Cannes in 1989. There are a number of Canadians doing good things on the PGA Tour, but that wasnt always the case. The 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, women were allowed to compete in track and field for the first time and the Canadian women headed straight to the podium. Lemieuxs career was ultimately shortened by injury, a mid-career retirement and even cancer, but number 66 is still considered one of the most talented and influential players to ever play the game. Stefanie Reid has also won a gold medal at the 2014 European Championships and 2017 World Championships. Samir Hussein 23/35 Michael Bubl Born in Burnaby, British Columbia, the crooner is one of Canada's most. Ren Lacoste had fared well in his athletics career as well. He has also had a very successful international career, winning 2 Olympic gold medals, a World Junior Championship, a World Championship, and a World Cup title with Team Canada. This week its the top 15 athletes in Canadas decorated sports history. Thanks for contributing to The Canadian Encyclopedia. Jamaican-born Canadian bobsledder Lascelles Brown is an Olympic silver medalist and a former World Champion. Raonic has 8 ATP titles to his name, and has earned over $14 million (USD) in career winnings. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Her hard work and leadership provide an excellent example for other aspiring athletes. From 1915 to 1940, the Edmonton Grads won 502 games and lost only 20, beating the world's best teams from the United States and Europe. The first of five hockey players on the list is also the most obvious. The former Canadian senator is better known as the best alpine skier of her day. Harold Ballard was made an inductee of the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1977 and 1987 respectively. However, France has also produced some of the worlds most famous athletes. Nicknamed the bulldog of Britannia, Longboat also served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force as a soldier during the First World War. A long-time member of the Canadian national team, Sinclair currently has the 2nd most international goals in female soccer history. With millions of followers, he is definitely one of France most famous athletes on social media. Nicknamed the Man of Bronze, Phil Edwards won five bronze medals for Canada at the Olympic Games between 1928 and 1936. Famous People From Quebec, Canada & Celebs Born In Quebec High Jumper Derek Drouin takes the 6th spot on our list of The Top 10 Canadian Athletes. Widely considered as the greatest all-around player in hockey history, Howe set the bar by playing until age 52, a mark that has never been beat. The sport was dominated by Europeans at the time but Greene managed to clench the title, and went on the more glory including Olympic gold. What comes to mind when you think of Canada and sports? Desai Williams also worked as a coach and trained Olympic athletes like Phylicia George, Justyn Warner, and Tremaine Harris among others. 47in world ranking. Mario Lemieux was the first overall draft pick in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, and he certainly didnt disappoint. His biography has been translated into 18 different languages. Article Angela Chalmers. 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. Top 10 Canadian Athletes in The World Right Now - Wonderslist Introducing a few of the many Montralers who became important figures in Canadian history. 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. They're the most successful team in Canadian history, winning an astounding 95 per cent of their matches. 48.39, Jean Collas is the 6th most famous French Athlete. Candice Quigley They set off the following spring, reaching le de Montral and founding Ville-Marie. The face of womens Canadian soccer and likely the greatest Canadian soccer player ever. But you could argue Nancy Greene's greatest contribution was inspirational. To celebrate Canadas 150th anniversary, KelownaNow is shining a light on our amazing country. All rights reserved. Also, Crosby is a complete player with few, if any, weaknesses in his game. From the ice to the hardcourt, theres not much doubt about who Canadas greatest basketball player is. He is best known for winning the gold medal in the 110m hurdles event at the 1992 Olympic Games. Rachel Homan is a Canadian professional curler best known for winning the gold medal at the 2017 World Curling Championships. He later quit sports to pursue acting. Ben Johnson who held the record of being the fastest man in the world during the 1980s was a Canadian. Wayne Gretzky-ice hockey player. Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet. Former Edmonton Grads basketball team members (left to right) Edith Stone Sutton (1930-34), Margaret MacBurney . He holds the Canadian record in high jump, clearing 2.40m in 2014. While growing up in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, she was quite the fastball player, representing Canada at the world junior championships at one point. Overall, Wickenheiser's played in six Olympic Games. updated August 31, 2017, 8:31 pm, Top 10 Canadian Athletes in The World Right Now, The 10 best women volleyball players in the world, Top 20 Most Famous Female Volleyball Players in the World, Top 10 Best Sports for Girls to Play and Their Benefits, The Top 20 Tallest Soccer Players of All Time, Top 15 Most Bizarre Sports That Actually Exist, 20 Hottest Female Volleyball Players (2023 Updated), 10 Internet Hoaxes Almost Everybody Believed, 10 Camping Pranks That Bring a Lot of Fun Outdoors, Top 10 Crazy Pranks to Pull on Your Brother, 10 Mass Panic Caused By Seemingly Harmless Pranks, Hot Bolivian Women: Meet The 10 Most Beautiful Girl from Bolivia, Top 10 Most Beautiful and Hottest Cambodian Women. For the Firths, it was beyond personal, they were acutely aware of representing their culture, too. He hasnt left the sport entirely, playing for charity and coaching after his retirement. This is all thanks to his world-famous eponymous polo shirt brand with the crocodile logo. Mance, Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve, and the rest of the contingent left La Rochelle, France, on two vessels in May 1641. In 2004, he was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. Ferguson Jenkins Hometown: Chatham, Ontario. Brooke Henderson. Now, Humphries competes for the United States after an acrimonious split from the Canadian program. He was later dubbed The Eighth Wonder of the World.. She's a major reason why the team won back-to-back bronze medals in the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics. Klassen also won a bronze medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, tying her with Clara Hughes for the Canadian record of six total medals at the Olympics. Ren Lacoste invented this signature polo shirt, but thats not all. The gifted playmaker returned to Phoenix in 2004 where he won back to back NBA MVP Awards. anniversary in 2015, theEncyclopediadrew up the following list of 30 francophones from all corners of French-speaking Canada who have achieved fame in various fields. Drouin also won gold at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, and won 5 NCAA titles while competing for the Indiana Hoosiers. He has been a household name in Canada for years as he tore up developmental and junior hockey leagues as a teenager before making his NHL debut at 18 in 2015. Oleksiakss impressive breakthrough performance in Rio earned her the honor of being named Canadas flag bearer for the Olympic Closing Ceremonies, and won her the Lou Marsh award, given annually to the top Canadian athlete of that year. By the 1960s, his idea of a bicultural Canada had made its way to Parliament, where it was promoted by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. 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. 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. Guillemot held world records in 2,000 meters and 3,000 meters. He is best known for his performance in the 1984 Olympic Games, where he won two bronze medals. Gordie Howe Hometown: Floral, Saskatchewan. At the time of his retirement, Gretzky held 61 NHL records. 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. 2016 may have been an even better year for De Grasse. As an athlete, she won 21 medals at five Paralympic Games from 1992 to 2008, including 14 gold medals, and broke 26 world records along the way. Canadas national womens soccer team is currently ranked in the top ten, thanks in part to the skills of captain Christine Sinclair. Sharing the stories and celebrating the contributions of inspiring Black Canadian athletes . 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. Mario Lemieux -- When looking at the top-five French speaking players of all time, No . He is also a former Commonwealth Champion and a 2-time World Champion. Canada does have a strong history of producing great hockey players, skiers, skaters, and athletes who compete in other winter sports. Obviously the diamond took a back seat to the ice as she went on to the most prolific career in women's hockey. 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. Here are the top 10 greatest celebrated Canadian athletes of all time; 1. Warner picked up his first Olympic medal, a bronze, at the 2016 Rio Games, and also has silver and bronze medals from the 2015 and 2013 World Championships. This resulted in unrest leading to the Lower Canada Rebellion of 183738. List features athletes like Kaillie Humphries, Lynn Kanuka-Williams. Although Im from the Philippines, my location independent career took me to over 40 countries and lived in 4 continents in the last 10 years, including France. Just before winning four consecutive Olympic gold medals in hockey, Wickenheiser starred for the softball team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The Somalia-born athlete spent a part of his childhood in Kenya, before moving to Canada at age 11. Olympic gold medalist Canadian athlete Fanny Bobbie Rosenfeld earned the nickname Bobbie for the bob cut she sported.