Catriona Le May Doan
When Canadian speed skater Catriona Le May Doan carried the Canadian flag into the Salt Lake City arena at the opening of the XIX Winter Olympic Games, she carried hopes and dreams for not only herself but for her nation. The motto "hard work pays off" was the only saying that traveled through her head while she made her family, friends, country and of course herself proud in front of billions of people world-wide.
Catriona Le May Doan was born December 23, 1970 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where she lived with her father Iain Le May, her mother, Shona Kirk and her two older sisters, Fiona and Ailsa.
By the age of four, Catriona's father had a sabbatical from the University of Saskatchewan. He took his family to Brazil and lived for a year in Rio de Janeiro, where he taught at the university. Catriona attended junior kindergarten in Brazil and was conducted in a French-speaking program.
When the family returned back to Canada from Brazil, the new school year had already started and because of Catriona's ability to speak French quite well she was allowed to go straight into grade one at the Saskatoon French School.
At the age of five, Catriona started taking Ballet, and for six years she participated in lessons. She states that the lessons had definitely helped her with her balance, flexibility, and above all her strength. While taking her ballet lessons she then began to play ringette, which gave her the reason to lace on the skates and begin to learn the basics of how to skate.
In the winter of 1980, Ailsa had seen an ad on the television promoting women's speed skating. It was at this time that she had asked their mother if she could try out the sport. Her mother had made a few phone calls and got a hold of the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club, which was a typical club where you paid your money to rent skates, ice time, and lessons. Being the younger sister and wanting to do everything her older sister did, Catriona...
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