Advertisement

Vote for Canada's most memorable Summer Olympics moments



What are the most memorable moments in Canadian Summer Olympics history? Yahoo! Canada Sports wants your opinion. From now until the start of the 2012 Games in London, we are rolling out 10 of the most memorable moments the Summer Olympics have produced. Now it's up to you decide which are the most memorable:

Canada's best Summer Games performance ever (Los Angeles 1984)

With 14 Eastern Bloc countries missing because of a boycott, the Canadian team walked away with 44 medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. Swimmers Alec Baumann and Victor Davis, and diver Sylvie Bernier were among the country's 10 gold medalists.

Ben Johnson goes from glory to disgrace (Seoul 1988)

When Johnson crossed the finish line in 9.79 seconds to blow away the competition in the 100-metre finals at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, many Canadians felt they had experienced one of the nation's finest sporting moments. Not too long thereafter, the delight turned to disappointment.

Sylvie Frechette's gold-medal odyssey/saga (Barcelona 1992)

Although she didn't receive her gold medal until 16 months after the conclusion of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics because of a judging snafu, Frechette displayed the character of a champion by overcoming the loss of her grandfather and financee to shine in the Spanish city's synchronized swimming pool.

Percy Williams's sprints to double gold in Amsterdam (Amsterdam 1928)

Until 1928, Canada's achievements in the sporting world played a poor cousin to those of the United States and Great Britain. Williams, a five-foot-six, 126-pound wisp of a sprinter, put the country on level ground with its rivals by sweeping the 100 and 200 metres.

Marnie McBean strikes gold twice in Barcelona (Barcelona 1992)

It was a long way from Toronto's Argonaut Rowing Club's learn-to-row program to a spot in the water alongside the world's best in 1992. McBean shone under the spotlight, winning the women's pair with Kathleen Heddle and helping the eights boat to gold.

Larry Lemieux goes on a rescue mission (Seoul 1988)

He didn't win a medal but Lemieux's decision to abandon the yachting race to rescue two sailors who'd been thrown overboard by choppy waters meant so much more. Lemieux later received the IOC's Pierre de Coubertin medal for sportsmanship.

Canada hosts its first Games and Joy shines on biggest stage (Montreal 1976)

Cynics will point to the staggering financial costs of Canada's only Summer Games. But the sporting nation won't forget Greg Joy grabbing a silver medal for Canada in the high jump, or Nadia Comaneci wowing the world with her flawless performances in gymnastics.

Canada celebrates two Saturday night sprinting specials (Atlanta 1996)

Eight years after the Ben Johnson scandal, Donovan Bailey and the men's relay team – including Yahoo! Sports Olympic expert Bruny Surin - provided redemption for Canadians by beating the highly touted Americans in their own backyard.

Daniel Igali thanks his adopted land with a gift of gold (Sydney 2000)

One of the iconic moments in Canadian sports history came at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, when a Nigerian immigrant lovingly placed the Maple Leaf flag on the mat, knelt down, kissed it and then ran around it after winning his gold-medal wrestling match.

Silken Laumann bounces back (Barcelona 1992)

Just 10 weeks after a freak rowing injury left Laumann with her right leg shattered, the reigning world sculls champion's appearance at the 1992 Olympics was seen as something close to a miracle. Her third-place finish in the sculls final was one of the rare times when bronze looked like gold.