Year in review: The best Canadian performances of 2013
In the year that just passed, Canadian athletes were as brilliant as they’ve ever been.
There were dominant performances on ice, 1-2 punches on snow, and historic hauls on Russian soil in track and field.
Here are some of Canada’s shining moments from 2013.
Chan
When Patrick Chan is skating well, he is unstoppable. The three-time World Champion broke his own world marks in both the short program and free skate at the Trophée Eric Bompard in November. His combined score was 295.27, trouncing his own record of 280.98 from 2011 World Championships.
Athletics Canada
Five Canadians stepped onto the podium at 2013 World Championships in Athletics. Gavin Smellie, Aaron Brown, Justyn Warner and Dontae Richards-Kwok won bronze in the 4x100m relay. Plus, Damian Warner (decathlon, bronze); Brianne Theisen-Eaton (heptathlon, silver); Derek Drouin (high jump, bronze); and Dylan Armstrong (shot put, bronze).
Kingsbury and Bilodeau
In another instalment of what could be a pleasant rivalry for Canada in Sochi, moguls aces Mikael Kingsbury and Alex Bilodeau finished 1-2 at FIS World Ski Mogul Championships in Norway.
Hamelin
Charles Hamelin has a no trouble with consistency. At the 2013 World Championships the Olympic Champion won bronze in the 1000m, 1500m and the super 3000m. He then added a gold in the relay. He was the overall bronze medallist.
MacLennan
Occasionally, Olympic success for an athlete will lead them to cruise the following year. Rosie MacLennan isn’t one of those athletes. She backed up her gold medal from London 2012 with another, at the 2013 Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships. PHOTO: FIG Facebook
Harvey
This year was a big one for Canadian cross-country skiing because of Alex Harvey. He became the first Canadian male to win an individual medal at the Nordic Ski World Championships with a bronze in the classic-ski sprint.
Humphries and Valois
All they did was win. Bobsledders Kaillie Humphries and Chelsea Valois crushed the World Cup circuit and then went on to win gold in St. Moritz at World Championships.
Ricker and Maltais
Canada has another competing duo who can rip it up on snow. Olympians Maëlle Ricker and Dominique Maltais won gold and silver in SBX at 2013 World Snowboard Championships.
