Oleksiak rises above in banner year for Canadians
Swimming star beats out deep field to win Lou Marsh Award
In a year when a teenaged swimmer surfaced to capture the national imagination, Canada was bathed in a deep pool of sporting excellence.
While Penny Oleksiak won the Lou Marsh Award as Canada's athlete of the year for 2016, there were 10 other candidates who were worthy and contributed to what can only be considered a banner year for Canadian sport — maybe the best in recent memory.
- Oleksiak beats strong field for Lou Marsh Award
- De Grasse makes statement with 3-medal showing in Rio
- Raonic named Tennis Canada's male player of year
Think of it — this country has the brightest star in swimming in Oleksiak, the next great sprinter in Andre De Grasse and the defining hockey player of his generation in Sidney Crosby.
But there is also a top-10 golfer in Brooke Henderson, third-ranked tennis player Milos Raonic and the Olympic high jump champion in Derek Drouin, who won gold with a stress fracture in his back.
Add Olympic gold-medallists Erica Wiebe (wrestling) and Rosie MacLennan (trampoline) as well as dominant para-swimmer Aurelie Rivard, who won three gold medals in Rio de Janeiro and set world records along the way.
We have not even mentioned baseball star Joey Votto or NBA basketball champion Tristan Thompson. Evan Dunfee, the Olympic race walker, merits a mention not only for his outstanding performance, but his steadfast adherence to the sanctity of honest and honourable competition.
There are just too many to mention.
Canadian athletes have demonstrated incredible prowess this year and for the selectors it was a difficult choice. Never, in my experience on the panel of voters for this award, has there been more to choose from.
Diversity of endeavour, talent
It is proof positive that Canada is a sporting nation rich in a diversity of endeavour and talent.
In the end, there should be no dissent with regard to the recipient of this year's Lou Marsh Award.
Oleksiak is a strong female athlete who won four medals at the Olympic Games and became the Olympic champion in Olympic record time.
It is something never done before by any Canadian athlete at a single summer edition of the Games.
She also captured four medals at the recent world short-course championships. Along the way, at the Olympic trials, at the Games themselves, and at the world championships, Oleksiak set 11 Canadian records, three world junior records and an Olympic record.
It is the greatest achievement in this sport in a single year by a Canadian.
And finally, at an Olympics where 16 of 22 Canadian medals were won by women, Oleksiak became an inspirational figure for young people in our country regardless of gender.
She became an iconic figure and without question deserves to be Canada's athlete of the year for 2016.