The Olympic dream of Clara Hughes began in 1988 when she caught her first glimpse of the Winter Games on television. Watching speed skaters glide around the oval inspired her to believe that one day she, too, could represent Canada in that same sport. Little did she imagine that in pursuing her speed skating dream, she would first compete in two Summer Olympic Games, in the sport of cycling.
With over one hundred victories under her belt, including two bronze medals in the 1996 Olympic Summer Games, medals in both the Pan American and Commonwealth Games, plus numerous World Cycling and National Championship titles, Clara had established herself as one of the best cyclists in the world. It was now time to refocus and pursue her Speed Skating dream.
The 2000/2001 season on ice was full of unprecedented achievements: Clara earned a spot on the National Team after only seven weeks of specific training and then shocked the sporting world during the 2002 Olympic Games when, only sixteen months after competing in her second Summer Olympics as a cyclist, she won a bronze medal in the gruelling 5000m speed skating event. This, along with her two medals from the 1996 Summer Olympics in cycling, made Clara the only Canadian and fourth-ever athlete in history to win medals in both Winter and Summer Games. Clara became one of the top long-distance skaters in the world leading into the Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy in 2006. With World Cup victories, a World Championships title and a World Record in the epic 10,000m event, Clara was a definite favourite for the 5000m race. She did not disappoint, winning gold after taking the lead with only 200m to go. Along with her silver medal in the Team Pursuit in those same Games, Clara became the only athlete in history to win multiple medals in Winter and Summer Olympics.
In the 2010 Olympic Games, Clara thrilled the home crowd by winning a bronze medal in her favourite and most gruelling distance, the 5000m. This sixth Olympic medal allowed Clara to become, along with Cindy Klassen, Canada’s most decorated Olympian of all time.
Clara is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a member of the Order of Manitoba, has received an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Manitoba, received The International Olympic Committee’s Sport and Community Award and is a two-time recipient of the ëpirit of Sport award from the Canadian Sports Awards.
