Jamie Salé, David Pelletier and the 2002 Men's and Women's Gold Medal Hockey Teams Lead 2009 Inductees into Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame

    Dr. Jean Grenier to Receive Canadian Olympic Order

    VANCOUVER, March 26 /CNW/ - In mesmerizing performances at the Salt Lake
City Olympic Winter Games seven years ago, two Canadian figure skaters won
gold after first being awarded silver and two hockey teams both defeated host
United States for Canada's first Olympic men's hockey gold in 50 years and
first-ever women's gold. The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) will honour
these and other sport legends tonight in Vancouver at the 2009 Canadian
Olympic Hall of Fame Gala Dinner & Induction Ceremony presented by General
Motors Canada and the Vancouver Airport Authority.
    Heading a list of five inductees are Jamie Salé and David Pelletier,
pairs figure skaters whose passionate performance in 2002 earned them a gold
medal and a spot in Canadian sports lore, and the 2002 men's and women's
hockey teams who overcame the pressure of history to both capture gold.
    "Having our lifelong dream come true of making the Olympic team and
coming home with a gold medal was extremely special and rewarding for both of
us," said Salé. "Making it into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame is a great
honour and we feel very fortunate to have been nominated. It is always
extraordinary to be put in a class with so many fantastic athletes who have
worked so hard and dedicated a part of their lives to accomplish their goals."
    Inducted into the 2009 Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame as a coach is Howard
Firby, who over three decades coached many of Canada's top swimmers including
triple medallist Elaine Tanner. Dr. Robert Hindmarch, who has left a lasting
legacy in amateur hockey across Canada, will be inducted as a builder. The
ceremony will take place at the Westin Bayshore in Vancouver beginning at 5:30
p.m.
    The Canadian Olympic Order will be awarded to Dr. Jean Grenier, who is a
member of multiple Halls of Fame for his dedication to the sport of speed
skating in Canada. A past president of Speed Skating Canada and COC executive
member, Dr. Grenier was Canada's Chef de Mission for the country's first home
Winter Games - Calgary, 1988. The Canadian Olympic Order recognizes
individuals who have made the Olympic Movement their life's work and have
served it with distinction.
    The 2009 Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame Induction Weekend also features
the COC's 2009 Quadrennial Elections, Executive Committee and Session meetings
where it will vote for a new president-elect and board of directors. Also
taking place is the Petro-Canada Community Outreach Program, a keynote speaker
luncheon with ultramarathon runner Ray Zahab, and a special behind-the-scenes
interactive tour of the Richmond Oval. Juno Award-winning and multi-platinum
Canadian artist Chantal Kreviazuk will perform live at the 2009 Hall of Fame
Gala Dinner and Induction Ceremony.
    The Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame recognizes those who have served the
cause of the Olympic Movement with distinction. The 2009 inductees are:

    Jamie Salé and David Pelletier: They formed a figure skating pairs team
in 1998 and in short order became both World and Olympic champions. Fourth at
the 2000 World Championships, Pelletier and Salé captured the world title in
2001 - Canada's first pairs to do so since 1993. For this, they were named
2001 Canada's athlete(s) of the year, winners of the Lou Marsh Trophy. Their
performance at the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Winter Games is etched in
sports lore. To the cinematic theme of "Love Story," Pelletier and Salé skated
an essentially flawless free program in the final that appeared to have won
them the gold medal. But their final scores earned the pair a silver medal,
behind the Russians. Several days later, it was revealed that a judge from
France had voted for the Russian pair as part of a vote-swapping plan. Amid
huge controversy, the International Skating Union announced that Pelletier and
Salé would be awarded the gold medal, sharing first place with the Russians.

    2002 Canadian Women's Olympic Hockey Team: After winning silver in 1998,
the women's Olympic hockey team earned a rematch with Team USA in 2002 - and
in a 3-2 victory claimed its first gold medal. Coached by Danièle Sauvageau
(inducted last year to the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame), Team Canada first
had to come from behind against Finland in the semifinal. Team USA had won
eight pre-tournament games against Team Canada by a combined score of 31-13.
Despite a penalty ratio of 13-4 in favour of Team USA, the Canadians captured
gold on the strength of goaltender Kim St. Pierre and goals by Caroline
Ouellette, Jayna Hefford and tournament MVP Hayley Wickenheiser. Danielle
Goyette tied Wickenheiser in leading the tournament with 10 points.

    2002 Canadian Men's Olympic Hockey Team: Constructed by Wayne Gretzky and
led by the stellar goaltending of Martin Brodeur, Team Canada defeated Team
USA for its first gold medal since 1952. An audience of 10 million on CBC made
it the most-watched Canadian TV program ever. In that decisive game, Canada's
Joe Sakic and Jarome Iginla both scored two goals on USA goalie Mike Richter,
who had stymied Canada six years earlier in the World Cup of Hockey. The gold
medal game was Brodeur's fifth in the tournament, a span during which he never
lost and posted a 1.80 goals-against-average in stopping 100 of 109 shots.
Over the tournament, Sakic notched seven points while Mario Lemieux and Steve
Yzerman had six points each.

    Howard Firby (coach, swimming): Firby applied the study of kinetics and
anatomy to Canada's swim team, for which he is one of the country's most
successful coaches. Firby helped found the Canadian Dolphin Swim Club in 1956,
a dominant club in the 1960s. At the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, most women's
swim team members hailed from Firby's Dolphin Swim Club. Head coach of the
1964 Olympic swim team, Firby was also coach for such Canadian swim greats as
three-time Olympic medallist Elaine Tanner and Mary Stewart, who set two world
records in butterfly in 1962. The author of "Howard Firby on Swimming" (1975)
is a member of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and the International Swimming
Hall of Fame. He died in 1991 in Vancouver.

    Dr. Robert Hindmarch (builder, hockey): In 1964, Dr. Hindmarch was
general manager and assistant coach of Canada's Olympic hockey team, made of
amateur players enrolled at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Dr.
Hindmarch was vice president of the Canadian Olympic Association, is a life
member of the COC, and was Chef de Mission for the Sarajevo 1984 Olympic
Winter Games. He is long linked to UBC, where he coached the hockey team to 11
of 12 winning seasons in the 1960s and 70s. He made significant contributions
to hockey in Canada, working with many of the country's amateur hockey
associations, and writing publications on coaching techniques and instruction.

    Dr. Jean Grenier (Canadian Olympic Order, speed skating): A member of the
Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, Dr. Grenier
was Canada's Chef de Mission for the Calgary 1988 Olympic Winter Games and
Assistant Chef four years earlier. Dr. Grenier was a dedicated sports
administrator for speed skating, founding the Quebec Speed Skating Federation
in 1970, and becoming an executive member of the Canadian Speed Skating
Association in 1972 and its president in 1976. His greatest contribution was
to short track speed skating, for which he built a technical committee within
the International Skating Union where none had existed before. Dr. Grenier's
20-year focus on short track culminated in the sport being included as a
demonstration sport in Calgary and then a medal sport in 1992. The
International Olympic Committee awarded him the Olympic Order in 1998.

    About the Canadian Olympic Committee

    The Canadian Olympic Committee is a national, private, not-for-profit
organization committed to sport excellence. It is responsible for all aspects
of Canada's involvement in the Olympic movement, including Canada's
participation in the Olympic and Pan American Games and a wide variety of
programs that promote the Olympic Movement in Canada through cultural and
educational means. For more information, see the COC website: www.olympic.ca.

For further information: Isabelle Hodge, Manager, Media Relations,
Canadian Olympic Committee, Phone: (416) 324-4122, Cell: (416) 806-4342,
Email: ihodge@olympic.ca