Canada's Jean-Luc Brassard carries the flag as the Canadian team participates in the opening ceremony at the 1998 Nagano Olympic Games.

Nagano 1998

Team Canada Medal Count

Gold medal icon 6
Silver medal icon 5
Bronze medal icon 4

Flag Bearers

Opening Ceremony

Closing Ceremony

Games Summary

XVIII Olympic Winter Games

Nagano won the right to host the 1998 Olympic Winter Games by just four votes over Salt Lake City, bringing the winter spectacle to Japan for the second time. Weather proved to be an issue, as snow, rain, and fog caused numerous postponements for the skiing events, although all were eventually completed. Canada again bettered its best ever Winter Games medal total, bringing home 15, including six gold.

an athlete curling

Photo : La Presse Canadienne

Two of those came in new Olympic sports. The women’s curling team, skipped by the legendary Sandra Schmirler, needed a perfect final shot to win their semifinal against Great Britain, after which they defeated Denmark in the final. The men’s team, skipped by Mike Harris, brought home silver after dropping the final to Switzerland. Canada also boasted the first ever Olympic champion in snowboard as Ross Rebagliati won the giant slalom event.

Ross Rebagliati

Canada entered the first women’s Olympic ice hockey tournament having won all four world championships. But a 3-1 loss to the arch-rival United States in the final meant that the Canadians had to settle for silver. The men’s ice hockey tournament was also notable as the first in Olympic history to include the world’s best professional players from the NHL. Canada finished a disappointing fourth after a shootout loss to the Czech Republic in the semifinal and a 3-2 loss to Finland in the bronze medal game.

Manon Rheaume saving a shot

Pierre Lueders and Dave MacEachern put Canada atop a bobsleigh podium for the first time since 1964, tying for gold in the two-man event with Italians Günther Huber and Antonio Tartaglia. It was the first time two teams had ever tied for first place in Olympic bobsleigh history.

Canadian athlete bobsleighing

NAGANO OLYMPICS 98

Canadian athletes won a combined nine medals in speed skating, both long track and short track. On the big oval, Catriona Le May Doan and Susan Auch finished 1-2 in the women’s 500m. It was the first time Canada had won gold and silver in the same Olympic event since 1908. Le May Doan added a bronze medal in the 1000m. Canada also owned two spots on the men’s 500m podium as Jeremy Wotherspoon and Kevin Overland won silver and bronze. On the small oval, the men’s 5000m relay team won gold as did Annie Perreault in the women’s 500m. The women’s 3000m relay team brought home bronze, as did Éric Bédard in the men’s 1000m.

Le May Doan, Catriona speed skating

In figure skating, Elvis Stojko won his second straight Olympic silver medal, this one in a gutsy effort as he competed with a groin injury that caused him visible discomfort during his performance.

an athlete figure skating

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Canadian Medallists

Event Athlete Finish Sport
Two-Man - MenPierre Lueders, Dave MacEachernGoldBobsleigh
WomenSandra Schmirler, Jan Betker, Joan McCusker, Marcia Gudereit, Atina FordGoldCurling
Relay 5,000m - MenÉric Bédard, Derrick Campbell, François Drolet, Marc GagnonGoldSpeed Skating - Short Track
500m - WomenAnnie PerreaultGoldSpeed Skating - Short Track
500m - WomenCatriona Le May DoanGoldSpeed Skating - Long Track
Giant Slalom - MenRoss RebagliatiGoldSnowboard
MenMike Harris, Richard Hart, George Karrys, Collin Mitchell, Paul SavageSilverCurling
WomenJennifer Botterill, Therese Brisson, Cassie Campbell, Judy Diduck, Nancy Drolet, Lori Dupuis, Danielle Goyette, Geraldine Heaney, Jayna Hefford, Becky Kellar (Duke), Kathy McCormack, Karen Nystrom, Lesley Reddon, Manon Rhéaume, Laura Schuler, Fiona Smith-Bell, France St-Louis, Vicky Sunohara, Hayley Wickenheiser, Stacy WilsonSilverIce Hockey
Singles - MenElvis StojkoSilverFigure Skating
500m - MenJeremy WotherspoonSilverSpeed Skating - Long Track
500m - WomenSusan AuchSilverSpeed Skating - Long Track
1,000m - MenÉric BédardBronzeSpeed Skating - Short Track
Relay 3,000m - WomenChristine Boudrias, Isabelle Charest, Annie Perreault, Tania VicentBronzeSpeed Skating - Short Track
500m - MenKevin OverlandBronzeSpeed Skating - Long Track
1,000m - WomenCatriona Le May DoanBronzeSpeed Skating - Long Track

Overall Medal Count

Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
1Germany129829
2Norway1010525
3Russia96318
4Austria35917
5Canada65415
6United States63413
7Finland24612
8Netherlands54211
10Italy26210
11France2158
12China - 628
13Switzerland2237
14South Korea3126
15Czech Republic1113
16Sweden - 213
T17Belarus - - 22
T17Kazakhstan - - 22
19Bulgaria1 - - 1
T20Ukraine - 1 - 1
T20Denmark - 1 - 1
T22Australia - - 11
T22Belgium - - 11

Teams