Catriona Le May Doan

Catriona Le May Doan is a Canadian former speed skater and two-time Olympic 500m champion, the first Canadian to successfully defend an individual Olympic gold medal.

At the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, Catriona Le May Doan became the first Canadian athlete in history to defend an individual Olympic gold medal, setting an Olympic record in the 500m sprint that would stand for twelve years. She joined the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club and quickly rose through Canadian age-group ranks, joining the national team in 1988 and moving to Calgary to train. Le May Doan competed at the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics without reaching the podium, but broke through in the mid-1990s as a dominant force in the 500m sprint, becoming the first woman to break 38 seconds in the event in 1997. At the 1998 Nagano Olympics she won gold in the 500m and bronze in the 1000m, and went on to win four World Sprint Championship titles between 1998 and 2002, along with multiple World Single Distance Championship medals. Le May Doan's signature achievement came at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, where, serving as Canada's flag bearer at the opening ceremony, she successfully defended her 500m Olympic title, setting an Olympic record that stood until 2014 and becoming the first Canadian athlete ever to defend an individual Olympic gold medal. She was named Canadian Female Athlete of the Year three times (1998, 2001, 2002) and won the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's top athlete in 2002. Since retiring in 2003, she has worked as a broadcaster, motivational speaker, and served as Canada's Chef de Mission at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Explosive 500m sprint specialist renowned for a powerful start and technical efficiency

One of Canada's most decorated speed skaters and a pioneering figure in the sport's history, later a national sports administrator and broadcaster

• 2x Olympic gold, 500m (1998, 2002)
• Olympic bronze, 1000m (1998)
• First Canadian to defend an individual Olympic gold medal
• 4x World Sprint Championship gold
• Lou Marsh Trophy winner (2002)