Heroes of the Past 20 Years Set for Induction in Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame Gala in Moncton
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) is set to honour five legendary Olympic figures at this year’s Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame Gala Dinner & Induction Ceremony on Saturday, April 16. The event will take place in Moncton, N.B., at Casino New Brunswick, where an exemplary class of three athletes, one builder and one coach will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
For more than 60 years, the COC has proudly honoured individuals who have made a significant impact on the Olympic Movement. The 2011 Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame inductees are no exception and include figure skater Elvis Stojko, swimmer Curtis Myden, bobsledder David MacEachern, women’s hockey coach Melody Davidson and cycling builder Marc Lemay.
“The Vancouver Games ignited Olympic spirit and passion all across Canada and we’re bringing this new energy to the Atlantic Provinces,” said COC President Marcel Aubut. “The Hall of Fame is the COC’s most prestigious event, and we are thrilled to share this incredible experience with the gracious people of Moncton as we recognize this truly outstanding class of Hall of Fame inductees.”
Known for its warmth and hospitality, Moncton will host its first ever Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame Gala. A rising city among Canadian sport communities, the city successfully played host to the IAAF World Junior Athletics Championships last July – the smallest city ever to hold the major global event.
In April the city will welcome the Hall of Fame event, which will feature a full artistic program. The induction ceremony will be preceded by a week of festivities and community events throughout the Atlantic Provinces. Further details of these initiatives will be provided at a later date.
The COC has partnered with Vision Co., a Toronto-based event marketing firm to produce and manage the Gala Dinner and Induction Ceremony and community events.
Tickets and details are available by contacting Rebecca Lerner (rlerner@olympic.ca, 416-324-4303).
All proceeds from the 2011 Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame Gala Dinner & Induction Ceremony will benefit the Canadian Olympic Team.
2011 Inductees
The Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame recognizes those who have served the cause of the Olympic Movement with distinction. The 2011 inductees:
Elvis Stojko is a two-time Olympic silver medallist and three-time world champion in figure skating. As Olympic and world champion in 1994, he was named Canadian Athlete of the Year. He is the first man ever to land consecutive quadruple jumps in competition, once in 1991 and again in 1997. The four-time Olympian and seven-time Canadian champion was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2006. Deeply involved in charitable work, Stojko was known during his athletic career for his amazing perseverance through injury.
Curtis Myden, a model of determination and hard work, was the first Canadian swimmer to win medals at consecutive Olympic Games. He is a three-time Olympian in 1992, 1996 and 2000, and a triple bronze medallist. Myden won two bronze medals at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games in the 200- and 400-metre individual medley. Four years later amid an ever-stronger pool of swimmers, he again took bronze in the 400-metre individual medley. Leading up to Sydney he swept all the individual medley gold medals while adding two silver medals at the Pan Pacific Championships. He has set many national records, is a 30-time Canadian champion, and is the first athlete ever inducted in the Swimming Canada Circle of Excellence.
David MacEachern competed in two-man and four-man bobsleigh at the 1992, 1994 and 1998 Olympic Winter Games. In his last Games, he and Pierre Lueders won Olympic gold in the two-man event, which significantly raised the profile of bobsleigh, as well as funding, in Canada. A silver medallist in two-man at the 1996 World Championships, MacEachern also collected 28 World Cup medals and five World Cup titles in his career. His success in the 1990s inspired entire groups of new athletes and set the stage for the medals won at Vancouver 2010.
Melody Davidson is head coach of both the 2010 and 2006 Olympic gold medal women’s hockey teams in Vancouver and Torino. Davidson was assistant coach in 2002 when the women’s team won its first-ever Olympic gold medal. She has been head or assistant coach for four World Championship teams, and two world silver medal squads. She is the only person ever to be named five straight years to the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity’s “Most Influential Women” list. Davidson is globally admired for her dedication to the women’s game, her core belief in values and her leadership.
Marc Lemay is a world leader in the sport of cycling. Lemay was president of the Canadian Cycling Association from 1981 to 1992 and president of the Union Cycliste Internationale Mountain Bike Commission from 1990 to 2001. He served 14 years as COC Board member, from 1982 to 1996. In 2001 he received the Union Cycliste Internationale Merit for his contribution to the development of international cycling. Under his UCI tenure, the sport of mountain biking experienced tremendous growth that culminated with a berth in the Olympic program.
