There are a number of Canadian sports personalities who have managed to enjoy some stellar careers during their heyday, with individuals such as Wayne Gretzky and Steve Nash likely to be names on the tip of everybody’s lips when thinking of the individuals to have left the biggest impression and legacies.
Sports have become embedded within the nation’s culture, with many enjoying the competitive nature that each of the top professional sporting competitions provides on a regular basis. To highlight their popularity, there has been an increase in the number of people who partake in gambling activities, such as sports betting and using the best casinos to complement their sporting experiences.
When looking at the past 20 years of Canadian sport, there are a number of top sportspeople to have represented the country proudly, with a few of the names to have been highlighted below; unfortunately, this is a list that Gretzky and Nash did not quite make, but only because their careers were over 20 years ago.
Georges St-Pierre
A legendary UFC fighter, Georges St-Pierre can be credited as one of the main men to have managed to turn the combat sport into the mainstream sport that it is today. He is widely regarded as one of the very best mixed martial arts fighters to have ever lived and his UFC record is second to none. During his fight career, he won 26 of his 28 fights which included defending his world title on eight occasions and winning the middleweight title in 2017 after a four-year retirement.
Mike Weir
Perhaps a name that may not be instantly recognizable, Mike Weir could be argued to be one of the best golfers Canada has ever managed to produce. He achieved success in the 2000s as he spent a lot of the time ranked within the top 10 and won the Masters in 2003; the very first time a major golf title was won by a Canadian.
Marie Philip-Poulin
Ice hockey is known to be Canada’s national winter sport, so it should not come as a surprise to learn that Marie Philip-Poulin is one of the best sports personalities to have been produced by the country over the last 20 years. As the captain of Canada’s hockey team, she won two Olympic gold medals, as well as a silver.
Christine Sinclair
Perhaps one of the greatest female soccer stars to have ever played the female game, Christine Sinclair has to be considered one of the biggest sports stars to have come out of Canada. She is the captain of the national side and holds a number of records, including being the world’s all-time leader in international goals scored, having recently hit her 187th goal in her 304th game for her country (another record).
Sidney Crosby
He might not be as famous as Gretzky when it comes down to his reputation around the world, however Sidney Crosby is a legendary ice hockey player and one that deserves all the recognition that he gets. He amassed over 1,200 points in his 15-year playing career and managed to win three Stanley Cups, as well as two Olympic gold medals. The moment that involved him in the 2010 Final will live on forever, as he scored the famous golden goal to seal the gold medal!
Cindy Klassen
You cannot talk about the best Canadian sports stars to have ever existed over the last 20 years without mentioning Cindy Klassen. She managed to become the only athlete from the country to win five medals at one Olympic Games when she competed at the 2006 Winter Games. Unsurprisingly, she is also the country’s most decorated female athlete, as she has 24 medals in speed skating.
