Clara Hughes, a dual-season Olympian, made her sixth Olympic Games appearance and her third at a Summer Games as a cyclist in London. Hughes finished in the top-five in the time trial event and also competed in the road race. Hughes is one of the most revered Canadian athletes of all-time with six Olympic medals.
Hughes competed in the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta and earned a bronze in both the road race and the time trial. She also competed at the 2000 Games in Sydney, earning sixth in the time trial.
As a speed skater, Hughes has four Olympic medals. At the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City, she won a bronze in the 5000m. In Turin in 2006, she took gold in the same event and a silver in the team pursuit. In Vancouver in 2010, Hughes delivered another bronze in the 5000m, where she had the honour of being Flag Bearer.
- Five-time Olympian and five-time medallist … Only fourth athlete ever to win medals at Winter and Summer Games, and only athlete to win multiple medals at both … Six-time WC medallist … Won 18 Canadian national cycling titles … Seven-time Pan Am Games medallist between 1991 and 2003 (one gold, three silver, three bronze) … Three-time Commonwealth Games medallist … 1995 WC silver medallist (road time trial).
World Championship (WC) Results
- 2009 (Richmond, CAN): Silver – 5,000 metres; Disqualified – 3,000 metres 2008 (Nagano, JPN) Silver – 5,000 metres; 6th – 3,000 metres 2007 (Salt Lake City, USA): 13th -3,000 metres 2005 (Inzell, GER): Silver – pursuit; Bronze – 5,000 metres; 5th – 3,000 metres 2004 (Seoul, KOR): Gold – 5,000 metres; 4th -3,000 metres 2003 (Berlin, GER): Silver – 5,000 metres; 4th – 3,000 metres 2001 (Salt Lake City, USA): 11th – 3,000 metres
Career Notes
- 2009-10: Finished 4th in 5,000 metres at World Cup in Hamar, NOR. 2008-09: Won silver in 5,000 metres at 2009 Single Distance WC at Richmond Olympic Oval. 2007-08: Captured silver in 5,000 metres at Single Distance WC. 2005-06: Won Olympic gold in 5,000 metres and added silver in team pursuit. 2004-05: Won bronze in 5,000 metres at 2005 World Single Distance Championships … Ranked 2nd in pursuit on World Cup circuit. 2003-04: Won 5,000 metres title at Single Distance WC and finished third in 5,000 metres at 2004 World All-round Championships … Named Speed Skating Canada’s 2004 Female Skater of the Year in long track. 2002-03: Formally retired from cycling in 2003 … Finished 2nd in 5,000 metres at Single Distance WC … Ranked 2nd in 3,000 metres on World Cup circuit. 2001-02: Won Olympic bronze in 5,000 metres – only fourth athlete ever to win medals at both Games, joining Eddie Eagan (U.S.), Jacob Tullin Thams (Norway) and Christa Rothenburger-Luding (East Germany) … Captured gold (road racing time trial) and bronze (24km points race, track cycling) at 2002 Commonwealth Games. 2000-01: Competed in 17 cycling races and qualified for several World Cup speed skating events. Pre-2001: Resumed training in 1999 and won gold at Canadian National Championships after temporarily retiring from cycling between 1997 and ’98 due to ankle ailment … Competed in first Olympic Games in 1996, capturing bronze in time trial and road race … Won silver at 1995 Cycling WC (time trial), and added a silver and bronze (road race, time trial) at 1995 Pan Am Games … Won team time trial silver medal at 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, B.C. … Won silver in first race with national team at 1991 Pan Am Games in Havana (individual pursuit).
Personal
- Member of Canadian cycling team from 1991 to 2003 … Named to 2006 List of Most Influential Women in Sport and Physical Activity by CAAWS … Made an officer of the Order of Canada in 2007 … Received an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Manitoba … Received IOC’s ‘Sport and Community’ award.
