Chantal Petitclerc (born 15 December 1969) is a Canadian wheelchair racer and a Senator from Quebec.
Early life
At the age of 13, Petitclerc lost the use of both legs in an accident when at a friend's farm, a heavy barn door fell on her, fracturing her spine at the L1-T12 vertebra. Gaston Jacques, a high school physical education teacher, was to have a decisive influence on her life when he taught her to swim for four lunch hours a week throughout high school as she was unable to participate in the gym course. In a 2011 interview, she stated that, "[swimming] really helped me get more fit and stronger, and helped me live a more independent life in a wheelchair." Swimming also allowed her to discover her competitive drive. and the Canadian Press's Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as Canada's female athlete of the year. Petitclerc was also awarded the Best Female award at the Paralympic Sport Awards.
With her 5 golds in the 2004 Paralympics, she tied the existing Canadian gold medal record at a single Games, Winter or Summer, set by Stephanie Dixon at the 2000 Summer Paralympics. Her 5 golds in the 2008 Paralympics tied that record. As of 2010, the record still stood. As of 2012 she holds five world records for wheelchair racing. she is still the most gold-medalled female paralympic athlete with 14 golds and 21 medals.
She was chosen as the flagbearer of the Canadian team at the opening ceremonies of the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Petitclerc lives in Montreal, and trains at Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard.
Rio Tinto Alcan is her main sponsor since 1998.
Petitclerc was appointed as a coach and mentor to the British athletics team ahead of the 2012 Summer Paralympics, working alongside her former coach and UK Athletics' Paralympic head coach Peter Eriksson.
Petitclerc was named the Chef de Mission for Canada's 2014 Commonwealth Games team.
Personal life
Petitclerc is married to electro-acoustic music composer James Duhamel and gave birth to son Elliot in December 2013.
Honours and awards
The St-Marc-des-Carrières municipal ice hockey arena now bears her name.
In 2002, Petitclerc was awarded with the Meritorious Service Medal (civil division).
In 2005, Petitclerc was invested as a Knight of the Order of Quebec. That year, Petitclerc became part of the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame.
On 16 June 2009, it was announced that Petitclerc would receive a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. The induction ceremony was held on 12 September 2009.
In 2009, she was invested as a Companion of the Order of Canada "for her achievements as a Paralympic champion known internationally as an inspiration, and for her commitment to developing sports for athletes with a disability".
In 2010, she was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in Calgary, Alberta.
In 2012, she was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of Alberta. and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal.
In 2015, Petitclerc was inducted into the Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame of the Canadian Paralympic Committee.
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See also
- Athletes with most gold medals in one event at the Paralympic Games
References
External links
- Chantal Petitclerc profile on Bell Champions