Olympic Heroes Headline Hall of Fame Class

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame will be a little richer in talent after Wednesday’s class of 2013 induction ceremony. The new group of inductees is highlighted by Olympic gold medallists Russ Howard, Joe Sakic and the 1992 Olympic championship rowing team of Kirsten Barnes, Brenda Taylor, Jessica Monroe-Gonin, Kay Worthington and Jennifer Walinga.

Howard curled Canada to a gold medal at the 2006 Turin Winter Games. The Olympic victory marked the country’s first-ever gold in men’s curling. The native of Midland, ON is also a two-time world curling champion (1987, 1993).

Sakic’s legendary 21-year professional hockey career was highlighted by being a member of the 2002 Olympic ice hockey team that won Canada’s first gold medal in the sport in 50 years. The three-time Olympian (1998, 2002, 2006) scored 13 points in 16 career Olympic Games and captained the 2006 squad. In the NHL, the long-time member of the Quebec Nordiques and Coloroda Avalanche accumulated 1641 points – including 625 goals.

Barnes (West Vancouver, BC), Taylor (Nanaimo, BC), Monroe-Gonin (Burnaby, BC), Worthington (Toronto, ON) and Walinga (Scarborough, ON) were part of a legendary group of rowers that dominated the women’s portion of rowing in Barcelona. The foursome joined forces to win gold in the coxless four event and were also a part of the gold medal winning women’s eight team.

Joining them will be cross-country mountain biker Alison Sydor (Edmonton, AB), silver medallist from the 1996 Atlanta Games, a four-time Olympian and three-time world champion. Three-time Paralympic gold medallist and wheelchair marathon competitor André Viger (Windsor, ON) will be inducted posthumously.

Murray Costelleo (South Porcupine, ON) and Dr. Jean-Guy Ouellet will be inducted as builders.

In a speech when the inductees were announced in April, Canadian Olympic Committee President Marcel Aubut congratulated the class of 2013 calling them, “true Canadian heroes and a tremendous inspiration to their fellow citizens.” Aubut, who was inducted to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1999, recalled his memories from his own induction ceremony and declared it “one of the proudest moments of his life.”

The Class of 2013 will be officially inducted to the Hall during the Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebrations on Wednesday, October 16, 2013 in Toronto, ON.