Montreal Celebrates 30th Anniversary of 1976 Olympic Games
Thirty years after thousands of Canadians filed into Olympic Stadium for the Opening Ceremony of Canada’s first Olympic Games, members of the Canadian, Quebec and international sport community gathered together in Montreal today to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1976 Olympic Games.
“Thirty years after the Olympic Games were staged here in Montreal we remain very proud of the legacy that exists with us today,” said Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) President Michael Chambers. “The Games in Montreal first brought an Olympic Games to Canada’s shores. They engendered a lasting love of sport and a national pride in Canadians that remains a part of the Canadian spirit today and continues to inspire young men and women to embrace Olympism and excel in sport on the international stage.”
The City of Montreal’s anniversary celebrations will be attended today by several prominent sport leaders including IOC President Jacques Rogge, Chambers, Quebec Minister of Education, Recreation and Sport Jean-Marc Fournier, Sports-Québec and National Multisport Centre – Montreal President Raymond Côté, City of Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay and several Canadian Olympians including Sylvie Bernier, Gaétan Boucher and 1976 Olympian Pierre Harvey.
“I am delighted to be here in Montreal to help celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1976 Olympic Games,” said Rogge. “I had the privilege to compete in Montreal. This was my last participation and, as an athlete, I have strong memories of these Games. They were a great success for the City of Montreal and for Canada. It is through the success of these Games that Canada has created a strong Olympic legacy which paved the way for Calgary to host the Olympic Winter Games in 1988 and for Vancouver to host in 2010.”
As part of today’s celebrations, the City of Montreal is launching a commemorative exhibit at City Hall and hosting a cocktail reception. A 1976 Olympic Games cinema screening will take place on July 19 at the Olympic Stadium’s Auditorium. The anniversary will also be highlighted at 14 major sport events this summer throughout the province of Quebec. The 30th anniversary celebrations of the 1976 Olympic Games are held in partnership between the COC, the City of Montreal, the Quebec Ministry of Education, Recreation and Sport, Sports-Québec, Olympic Park, Sportcom and the National Multisport Centre – Montreal.
“Competing in Montreal during my first ever Olympic Games in 1976 was one of the great highlights of my high-performance career,” said Harvey, a four-time Olympian in cycling and cross-country skiing. “Even though it has been 30 years since the 1976 Olympic Games, the Olympic flame continues to burn brightly in Montreal as evident by the outstanding Olympic spirit shown today.”
The 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal were held from July 17 to August 1 and featured a total of 92 countries and 6,084 athletes competing in 198 events. The former Soviet Union led all nations in total medals with 125 while the United States of America and the former German Democratic Republic finished second and third with 94 and 90 medals respectively.
Canada concluded the 1976 Olympic Games with a total of 11 medals, highlighted by a silver medal performance from high jumper Greg Joy and three double bronze medal results by swimmers Nancy Garapick, Anne Jardin and Becky Smith.
