Winners: Chantal Petitclerc, Para Athletics
Chantal Petitclerc poses with the five Gold medals she won at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Date: September 18, 2008
Collection: The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette
2008 - Feature Story
The treat she allowed herself, Chantal Petitclerc said, was perfume, If she raced well and satisfied herself with her performance, she would find herself a new aroma. After the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, it turned out the first scent she wore was champagne, sprayed on her in jubilation by coach Peter Eriksson, seconds after she had once again done the sensational and won five Gold medals. Matching her incredible feat from the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Petitclerc swept the races at 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m. It was much more difficult this time. The pool of talented athletes was much deeper – 4,200 athletes from 148 countries in Beijing – and the schedule was tight; her 200m and 800m were scheduled less than 90 minutes apart. Petitclerc responded with two more world record victories and later declared, “These Games were my best ever and the most challenging. The field, the calibre of athletes was higher than ever before, and my schedule was crazy.’’
Career Highlights
- 2009 Made a companion of the Order of Canada
- 2008 Bobbie Rosenfeld Award (Canada’s female athlete of the year)
- 2008 Gold medals in the 100m T54, 200m T54, 400m T54, 800m T54 and the 1500m T54 at the Paralympic Games in Beijing
- 2008 Lou Marsh Memorial Award
- 2004 Gold medals in the 100m T54, 200m T54, 400m T54, 800m T54 and the 1500m T54 at the Paralympic Games in Athens
Chantal Petitclerc winning the 400m wheelchair final at the Canadian Track and Field Trials in Windsor, Ontario.
Date: July 3, 2008
Collection: The Canadian Press/ Ryan Remiorz
