Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame Class of 2019 unveiled
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) has revealed that Alexandre Despatie and Emilie Heymans are part of the 2019 inductees of the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame (COHOF) presented by RBC on Monday. The Class of 2019 is comprised of Team Canada athletes, teams, coaches and builders who embody the Fundamental Principles and Values of Olympism with distinction.
“The Class of 2019 has defined what it means to Be Olympic. These individuals remind us that the Olympic Movement is about more than just victory. It’s about making an indelible impact on our communities, our nation and the next generation,” said COC President Tricia Smith. “We are proud to honour their legacy with the distinction of membership in the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame.”
The 2019 COHOF induction ceremony will take place on October 23, 2019 at the Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto. The individual inductees will be commemorated with murals painted in their honour that will appear in their respective local communities across Canada.
“We are incredibly proud to see Alexandre Despatie and Emilie Heymans being inducted as part of The Class of 2019,” says Penny Joyce, Chief Operating Officer at Diving Plongeon Canada. “Both have contributed in making Canada one of the world’s leading diving nations and have left an extraordinary legacy that still inspires many athletes from our federation today.”
Alexandre Despatie is the first Canadian man ever to win an Olympic medal in diving. Despatie continues to promote the values of Olympism even after his retirement by sharing the stories of today’s Canadian athletes as a media broadcaster in addition to his charity work.
Émilie Heymans is the first Canadian summer Olympian to win medals at four consecutive Games. Following her athletic career retirement, she also shared the message that life as an athlete is not always easy, but that no matter what you do in life, it is essential to always persevere and face your fears.
The 2019 Inductees are: Alexandre Despatie (Athlete – Diving), two-time Olympic silver medallist in 3m Springboard; Christine Girard (Athlete – Weightlifting), two-time Olympic medallist; Émilie Heymans (Athlete – Diving), four-time Olympic medallist; Simon Whitfield (Athlete – Triathlon), two-time Olympic medallist; Hiroshi Nakamura (Coach), Team Canada’s Head Coach (Judo) at five Olympic Games; the women’s Vancouver 2010 hockey team; the women’s London 2012 soccer team; Jack Poole (Builder – Posthumously), volunteer Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation; and Randy Starkman (Builder – Posthumously), sports journalist with a 24-year career covering Canadian Olympians and amateur athletes.
Since 1949, the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame has inducted 429 athletes, teams, coaches, and builders in recognition of their outstanding Olympic achievements and their embodiment of the Olympic values. For more on the Class of 2019 and the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, visit the COHOF official website.