Add a sixth hall of fame induction onto the career accolades of Simon Whitfield.
On Wednesday, the triathlete joined a class of three other athletes, two teams, a coach and a pair of builders as part of the 2019 class.
“Sport teaches you to live into your values and it teaches you that sport unites.” Whitfield said at the induction ceremony held in Toronto. “To my fellow inductees thank you for the opportunity. It was an honour and privilege to represent this country with you.”
The 44-year old is a four-time Olympian who burst onto the scene at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, winning gold and becoming the first ever Olympic champion in the sport of triathlon. He added a second medal eight years later when he won silver in Beijing.
The native of Kingston, Ontario was also the Canadian flag bearer at the Olympic closing ceremonies in both 2000 and 2012.
Whitfield’s induction into the 2019 Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame marks the sixth of his career as he’s already entered the Victoria Sports Hall of Fame, BC Sports Hall of Fame, and Canadian Sports Hall of Fame to go along with Triathlon Canada and the International Triathlon Union Halls of Fame.
As part of this induction, Whitfield will be commemorated with a mural painted at the Triathlon Canada national training centre headquarters at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria.
The other members of the 2019 class include:
- Alexandre Despatie (Diving: 2-time Olympic silver medallist)
- Christine Girard (Weightlifting: 2012 Olympic gold medallist, 2008 Olympic bronze medallist)
- Emilie Heymans (Diving: First Canadian summer Olympian to win medals at four consecutive Olympics)
- Women’s 2010 Olympic hockey gold medallists
- Women’s 2012 Olympic soccer bronze medallist
- Hiroshi Nakamura (Judo coach)
- Jack Poole (Builder: Largely responsible for landing 2010 Vancouver Olympics)
- Randy Starkman (Builder: Late Toronto Star writer)
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