Year One Review

Canadian Sport Officials are on record of saying that its goal for the 2012 London Olympics is a top twelve finish in the overall medal count. Strong stuff indeed for a country that finished tied for 15th with 18 medals at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. So how are Canadians doing?

At the 2009 World Rowing Championships Canada's rowers won 1 medal, in 2008 Canadian rowers returned home with 4 Olympic medals. Priscilla Lopes-Schliep improved on her bronze medal wining performance from the 2008 Olympic games returning home with silver from the 2009 IAAF World Track & Field Championships. Unfortunately, the rest of Canada's Track & Field Team was blanked from the medal count.

Canada's swimmers and divers did improve on their performance from the 2008 Olympic Games - winning a combined 5 bronze medals in 2009 as opposed to 3 a year ago. However, the improvements end there. In Canoe/kayak Canada won two bronze medals. In Beijing same thing.

If you are keeping score at home, Canada returned home with 10 Olympic medals in the sports of rowing, swimming, athletics, canoe/kayak and diving. In 2009 Canada has won 9 medals + one additional one in woman's water polo.

With the world championships in wrestling, gymnastics still to come it is likely that Canada will improve on its medal haul. After all Canada did win 4 Olympic medals in these two sports in 2008. However, the likelihood of Canada showing marked improvement in its summer sporting activities in 2009 is slim.

In China, Canadians won its medals in the sports of Diving, Swimming, Athletics, Swimming, Rowing,Canoe/Kayak, Woman's Wrestling, Trampoline, Equestrian, and Judo. And while Canada's prospects for success in these disciplines are strong in the years to come, the likelihoold for success outside of these sports in 2012 is unlikely. Under the Summer Own the Podium Program (Previously known as Road to Excellence) Canadian sport officials are targeting sport funding to those sports which have a history of past success, and reducing funding to those that don't. As such if a sport didn't medal in 2008 - Canadians shouldn't expect medals in 2012.

Recognizing the above, any prospects for success for 2012 should be based on reviewing the success rate with those sports that won medals in 2008. And in reviewing the results year to date at 2009 World Championships it appears that little has changed and maybe even deteriorated from a year ago.