With double medalist Karen Percy recently announced as Banff's official torch bearer we were wondering: Who do people think is the greatest Winter Olympic athlete in Alberta's storied sporting past.
Great Albertan Athletes
When thinking of the many Albertan's who have proudly represented Canada in Olympic competition a few greats instantly come to mind!
Albertan's love thier hockey! When thinking of great Albertan's who have donned the Maple Leaf for Canada's hockey pride you need look no further than Albeta's home teams: The Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. Names such as Spruce Grove's Jarome Iginla and Banff's Ryan Smyth just name a few of the proud Albertan's with sublime hockey talent.
A Legacy of Champions
Of course we can't forget those great Olympians of years past. These are the people whose inspiring preformances have made
them legends in the minds and hearts of Canadians! Caroline's figure skating sensation, Kurt Browning, Edmonton's brazen free style skier Jennifer Heil and Beckie Scott, Vegreville's cross country skiing speed demon... just to name a few.
How about some up and coming Olympians? What about Alberta's 2008 Athlete of the Year, cross country skier, Sara Renner? Or Calgary's alpine skiing star John Kucera!
Some might even consider those Canadians who left us breathless in 1988 at Calgary's Olympic Games to be honorary Albertan Olympians! Who could forget Elizabeth Manley who skated her way to a Women's Individual Figure Skating Silver Medal and into the hearts of Canadians. To this day she is still known as "Canada's Sweetheart".
What about the international athletes that competed in Calgary? Loveable also rans like the Jamacian Men's Bobsleigh Team, or the UK's "Eddie the Eagle" (the first British athlete to complete in the 90 metre ski jump) They reminded us of the true meaning of the Olympics: hard work, perserverance and dedication in the face of all odds! Truly sport in the name of unity.
Tell Us About Your Favourites
Send us your most creative, lists, arguments, videos, songs, photos and essays on who you think should be considered as some of the greatest Olympic atheletes in Alberta's history! Keep the submissions under 200 words or 2 minutes (After all the 2010 Olympics are in February!)
The top five submissions will be posted on Travel Alberta.com, and our Facebook, You Tube and Twitter pages. There we will have our users vote on who they think got it right. Click here to send your content directly to Travel Alberta or post directly to any of our social media channels.
