The Top Ten Canadian Athletes (as voted by me)
Canada is a pretty incredible country. We have some amazing things to offer the world. We invented insulun, the light bulb and basketball. And you know, a lot of Canadians are really good at stuff. There are many athletes who have done awesome things on the world’s stage. I’ve made a list of who I think are some pretty fantastic athletes. Lots of bias here, but I think the choices are good, and hey, they’re not just hockey players.
10. Sidney Crosby. 
If this list was made in ten years, I assume he would find his name much higher up. It’s been a long time since a single player dominated a sport like Sid the Kid can. At 19 years old, he has a very bright future ahead of him indeed.
9. Cindy Klassen. 
I watched this girl win a total of 5 medals at the games in Turin (the most ever won by one Canadian in one games and by one speedskater in one games – and more than Canada earned at the Olympics in Calgary), and I was totally impressed. She started skating when she was 18 if you can believe it, and at her age she’ll continue to dominate for a while.
8. Gordie Howe. 
Probably deserves to be higher, but hey, I’ve never even see him play. The Gordie Howe hat trick, which I’ve heard he never even did himself in one game, is a goal, assist and fight.
7. Bobby Orr. 
Quit before my time, but I like Don Cherry and he says number four was the best player of all time.
6. Kurt Browning. 
Look, I’m not gay. I don’t like spandex and I think most ice sports should be hockey, but seriously, this guy was good. He won like 5 world championships in a row. Anytime you can do that in any sport, you deserve some recognition.
5. Mark Messier. 
Yeah, that’s right. He’s better than Gordie Howe. The guy is second all time in NHL scoring. He won the Conn Smythe and led the Oilers to the Stanley Cup the year after Gretzky left Edmonton. He’s awesome.
4. Mario Lemieux. 
You think God gave him this name on purpose? I do. He is amazing. One of the few athletes on this list I’ve seen live. (He only played 10 minutes, but he scored the game’s only goal.
3. Donovan Bailey. 
This guy ripped up the world at the summer Olympics in Atlanta in 1996. He ran the 100m in 9.84s. The Americans attempted to declare (for the first time ever) that the actual fastest man was the dude who won the 200 and 400m. As if. Micheal Johnson had to fake a blown hamstring in a 150m race against Bailey because he was losing – big time. Oh well, he’s still my hero.
2. Steve Nash. 
Even though he’s losing game 6 to San Antonio at the moment (he’s scored the last 8 points for the Suns) he can dominate a game like nobody’s business. I heard an American analyst say “The best player in the NBA right now is Steve Nash – and it’s not even close.”
1. Wayne Gretzky. 
What do you say about this dude. He’s probably the most incredible athlete ever in any sport. I’m a little biased because I love the Oilers, and I loved the Oilers in Gretzky’s heyday. He is the Great One.
I need to include one more person on this list. In fact he probably supercedes everyone on the list. Terry Fox ran half way across Canada – with one leg. He ran a marathon a day for 143 days. He died when he was 22, halfway across Canada. Terry raised over a million dollars for cancer research, but his legacy continues to live on as thousands of people run for a cure every year. Terry is one of the greatest Canadians of all time.
I like a lot of your choices, but the one I don’t agree with is Messier. But I absolutely despise the guy, so making I shouldn’t have a say in his regard.
Happy to see Crosby on the list, and I definitely agree with your choice as number 1.
Good post.
I think it’s a little ridiculous that you think putting a male figure skater on your list requires that you remind people of your sexuality. I can’t imagine that any relatively mature person would think that admiring an athlete who’s won countless World Championships in his sport and holds a record for Guinness World Records makes you gay. Seriously, grow up.
Although i like some of your choices, Terry Fox being an obvious one, i think it’s rather strange that you have 5 hockey players, and all male i may add. What about inspirations like Lori-Ann Muenzer, who was the only female to bring home a gold medal at the Athens Olympics, being the fastest woman in the world in track cycling, and winning a medal at the Olympics at 38 years old? i would say that qualifies as top canadian athlete. Or how about Kyle Shewfelt, who was the the first ever Canadian to win an medal of any color in Artist gymnastics? I think you need to look outside the world of hockey and into the world of Canadian Atheletic Acheivement, and what athletes have done for their particular sport in Canada. As much as we are a hockey country, there is more to us than ice sports, and even then…why wouldn’t you mention one of the women from the Canadian women’s Olympic team. Two Gold medals back to back? Not even the men’s Canadian team can say that! with our without Gretzky…
Uh, hello? Does the name Mike Weir ring a bell? He’s done more on the PGA Tour than any other Canadian in history He’s won 8 PGA events including the Masters, beat Tiger Woods head to head at the President’s Cup and has more than $24 million in earnings.
I’ve just been looking over old posts. Isn’t it amazing how many great Canadian athletes we’ve had?! THere are some potential other-than-hockey athletes, but time will tell if they’re worthy to put on a list like this. Even though Sid the Kid just began his career, I would argue that he’s a household name way more so than Mike Weir. How do I know? More of my students are wearing Crosby jerseys or Reebok apparel than they are green jackets or Ping hats. (Or is it Bell?) Anyways, lot of other good choices too, it just so happens that hockey rules in Canada – and I don’t make the rules.
Dude its all good, except you forgot georges st pierre. The guy is a tank and one of the best athletes on the planet. And im not just being biased cuz he does mma.
He has the proof with him though, I think he was voted one of the worlds top athletes?
Great add on. This list was created before I ever began watching UFC, and if I were to remake it now, he’d definitely be on it. Can’t wait to see how he hammers out another win on July 11th.