Last week CTV came out with a list of its ten most memorable Winter Olympic memories. And as per usual the list was dominated by athletic performances over the past three Winter Olympiads. In fact there were only two achievements on the list that predated the 1998 Games in Najano, Japan and only 1 Olympic performance that predated the 1980 Games in Lake Placid;. that being Nancy Greene's gold medal performance in downhill skiing at the 1968 Games.
My top five list is as follows
#5) Barbara Ann Scott's Gold Medal Skate at the 1948 Winter Olympic Games becoming the first and only Canadian to win individual gold in the sport of figure skating.
#4) Elizabeth Manley. In what was supposed to be a battle of Carmens since both Debi Thomas and Katerina Witt both skated to the music from the opera Carmen, Elizabeth Manley came from out of no where to take Olympic silver. Who could forget the jubilation that Manley expressed while doning a white cowboy hat at the conclusion of her performance.
#3) Gaetan Boucher - In what was an unthinkable achievement at the time Gaetan Boucher skated to double gold in the sport of speed skating at the 1984 Olympic Games in Sarajevo. Boucher's two gold medals were Canada's first in the sport and Canada's first gold medal in any sport (winter and summer alike) since Kathy Kreiner's win at the 1976 Winter Games.
#2) Nancy Greene - Her Gold medal at the 1968 Olympic Games in Grenoble France has linked her name to the sport ever since.
#1) Gold Medal Victories in Hockey at the 1952 and 2002 Games. Before the 2002 Games Canada's last gold medal in the sport of ice hockey was won by the Edmonton Mercury's at the 1952 Games in Oslo Norway. That is until Mario Lemieux and team went out and broke a 50 year curse and sent jubillant Canadians from coast to coast to the streets.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Tough Love
On Wednesday September 30th 2009 Canada's woman's basketball team opens up the 8 team FIBA America's championships against the Dominican Republic. The top three teams from the tournament will go on to earn spots at the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Czech Republic; an important first step for an organization that has had its fair share of troubles this decade.
Since the 2000 Olympic Games - where Steve Nash almost single handidly carried Canada's Men's basketball team to the medal podium before bowing out to France in the quarterfinals, Canada's basketball program has fallen on hard times. Not only did Canada’s men’s and woman’s teams fail to qualify for both the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, Canada’s men’s basketball team failed to qualify for the 2006 World Championships for the first time in over 40 years.
In the front office things aren't any better. In 2004 Basketball Canada suffered a black eye for its controversial firing of Jay Triano as the men's team coach. Two years later Fred Nykamp- the executive director jumped at the chance to leave the organization for the Canadian Soccer Assocation - an organization with its own public trials. In 2008 the organization was accussed of charging athletes to atttend training camps and later that same year Sam Dalembert - arguably Canada's best player - publically refused to play for caoch Leo Rautins and Canada ever again.
Rautins remains.
Fortunately Canada's Basketball Program, found some inspiration on the men's side when it recently nabbed a spot in the 2010 world championships. And Canada's Woman's program tries to do the same at the end of September. However, one could argue that whatever progress the sport has made in the last year has been in spite of the national governing body, rather than because of it
Since the 2000 Olympic Games - where Steve Nash almost single handidly carried Canada's Men's basketball team to the medal podium before bowing out to France in the quarterfinals, Canada's basketball program has fallen on hard times. Not only did Canada’s men’s and woman’s teams fail to qualify for both the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, Canada’s men’s basketball team failed to qualify for the 2006 World Championships for the first time in over 40 years.
In the front office things aren't any better. In 2004 Basketball Canada suffered a black eye for its controversial firing of Jay Triano as the men's team coach. Two years later Fred Nykamp- the executive director jumped at the chance to leave the organization for the Canadian Soccer Assocation - an organization with its own public trials. In 2008 the organization was accussed of charging athletes to atttend training camps and later that same year Sam Dalembert - arguably Canada's best player - publically refused to play for caoch Leo Rautins and Canada ever again.
Rautins remains.
Fortunately Canada's Basketball Program, found some inspiration on the men's side when it recently nabbed a spot in the 2010 world championships. And Canada's Woman's program tries to do the same at the end of September. However, one could argue that whatever progress the sport has made in the last year has been in spite of the national governing body, rather than because of it
Sunday, September 6, 2009
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)