Chantal Petitclerc

Chantal Petitclerc CC (born 15 December 1969 Saint -Marc -des- Carrière ) is a Canadian disabled athlete. From 1992 to 2008, the wheelchair athlete starts at Paralympic Games and collected at this time 14 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze medals. The short-distance specialist, holds the world records over 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1500 m.

Life

Childhood and youth

Chantal Petitclerc was born on 15 December 1969 in Saint -Marc -des- Carrières in the province of Quebec. Due to an accident at the age of 13, when a heavy barn door toppled and fell on her, she became paraplegic. Rehabilitation Petitclerc began swimming, four years later, she joined the track and field and began to train for wheelchair race. Your first competition she finished far behind in last place. They met athletes who trained for the 1988 Summer Paralympics in Seoul, and was inspire by them and motivate them.

Sporting career

In addition to her social science education at the Cégep de Sainte -Foy and later the study of history at the University of Alberta Petitclerc trained more intense and took in Barcelona in 1992 for the first time in the Paralympics in part, from which they returned home about 200 and 800 m with two bronze medals. In the following host in Atlanta in 1996, she won gold in the 100 and 200 meters and silver over 400, 800 and 1500 m. Again, she won two gold medals at the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney, this time over 200 and 800 meters, plus silver in the 100 and 400 m.

First regular individual competitions for disabled sports were included in the program of events of the 2002 Commonwealth Games; Petitclerc decided there the race over 800m for itself. They also won the demonstration competition over 800 meters at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. The subsequent Paralympics she dominated: Petitclerc won gold in all five disciplines from 100 to 1500 m and made it four world records. Then, Petitclerc was awarded in 2005 as a disabled athlete of the year with the Laureus World Sports Award. Another honor was given to her when she was selected for the opening ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games as the bearer of the Canadian flag.

At the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing Petitclerc repeated the success of Athens and returned again with five gold medals home. For 2008 she received the Lou Marsh Trophy ( Canadian athlete of the year ). After a total of 14 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze medals Petitclerc told her Paralympic career after the Beijing Games ended. You now have trained for participation in marathons and other endurance races.

In London, at the Paralympics in 2012, Petitclerc is no longer active as an athlete. Instead, she now works as a trainer and mentor for the British Paralympic squad.

World Records

Chantal Petitclerc holds ( in the T54 class) the following world records:

Other honors and activities

In Canada, disabled sport experiences a very high level of public attention, Petitclerc regarded there as a great human and sporting role model. In 2009, she received a star on Canada 's Walk of Fame in Toronto. She was also honored as a Companion of the Order of Canada in 2009 "for their outstanding achievements in Paralympics, they have made it a source of inspiration around the world, and for their commitment to the development of disability sport ." It is the highest level of the Order of Canada, Canada's highest award for civilians.

In addition to the sporting career Petitclerc also works for television. For example, she was active as a lottery Loto -Québec Fee for 1994-2007 and worked for sports programming on TV and radio. In addition, they hosted galas and other events and lectures as a motivational speaker.