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April 11, 2006
OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS
TO RECEIVE ORDER OF MANITOBA
Lt.-Gov. John Harvard, chancellor of the order, announced today that Olympic gold medalists Cindy Klassen, Clara Hughes and Jennifer Botterill will be invested in to the Order of Manitoba. He will make the formal announcement at a Government House reception honouring Manitoba’s Olympic athletes on Tuesday, April 11 at 9 a.m.
“I’m thrilled to make this announcement as these exemplary athletes return home from their medal-winning performances at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin,” said Harvard. “Along with countless other Manitobans, I cheered out loud watching these women put in the performances of their athletic careers. We are extremely proud of their accomplishments in speed skating and ice hockey and welcome them to the Order of Manitoba.”
Winnipeg speed skater Cindy Klassen won a record-breaking five Olympic medals in Turin, one gold, two silver and two bronze and, as the Canadian flag-bearer, proudly led her country’s contingent at the Games’ closing ceremonies. She competed in lacrosse at the 1994 Commonwealth Games, then took up speed-skating when she failed to make the national women’s hockey team in 1998. Klassen represented Manitoba at the 1999 Pan Am Games in in line speed skating. She won a bronze medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics in the 3,000 metre speed-skating event, the overall title at the World Speed Skating Championship in 2003 and three World Cup gold medals in the 2004 05 season.
Clara Hughes is one of only four people to ever medal at both a summer and winter Olympics. Hughes grew up playing hockey and ringette in Winnipeg and then earned a silver medal at the national championships in her first year of speed skating. When the provincial speed-skating program folded, she became a cyclist and won two Olympic bronze medals at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games. After her second Olympic Games in Sydney, Hughes returned to speed skating and won a bronze medal in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic in the 5,000-metre race. She continued to ride and skate until she devoted herself full-time to skating in 2003 and was rewarded with a gold and a silver medal at the Turin Olympics.
The daughter of a former Olympic speed skater and world-renowned sports psychologist, Winnipegger Jennifer Botterill played ringette and a number of other sports before focusing on hockey at age 13. At 18, she made the national women’s ice hockey team and played in her first Olympics in Nagano in 1998, winning a silver medal. Botterill starred on the Harvard University women’s hockey team for four years and played on Canadian teams in four world championships. At the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics she was a core player on the gold medal team. Botterill made her third Olympic appearance in Turin and with two assists in the final game, helped lead the Canadian women’s team to another gold medal.
The Order of Manitoba, established in 1999, is the highest honour in the Province of Manitoba. It recognizes individuals who have demonstrated excellence and achievement in any field of endeavour, benefiting in an outstanding manner the social, cultural or economic well-being of Manitoba and its residents.
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