Catriona Le May Doan passionate about new role as chair of Canada Games Council

The Canada Games is unique to the country with an ability to touch all citizens, says the recently elected chair to the Canada Games Council.

Telling the story about the power of the nearly 60-year-old event is a goal of retired long track speed skater Catriona Le May Doan, who has been an athlete, media member, volunteer and CGC board member for much of the past 40 years.

"I love the Canada Games. I believe in [it]. I know the impact it can have and I'm excited to take on the role," the Saskatoon-born Le May Doan said in a Thursday interview with CBC Sports' Anastasia Bucsis.

In 1983, Le May Doan had just turned 12 before attending her first Canada Games as an athlete in Saguenay/Lac Saint-Jean, Que.

"I was a deer in headlights. We were [housed] in a gym with about 30 of us on army cots," she said, sporting a grey zippered Canada Games top.

She was amazed by the vastness of the competition and how many other sports were part of the Games.

WATCH l Doan on Canada Games, 2026 Winter Olympics: 

Looking back on an athletic career that featured a Canadian record and two Olympic gold medals in the women's 500 metres in 1998 (Nagano, Japan) and 2002 (Salt Lake City), Le May Doan recalled her second Canada Games in 1987 in Cape Breton County, N.S.

"You learn to perform [on-demand] in that high-pressure situation," said Le May Doan, who also won three world championship titles. "When you go to a Canada Games, you want to stand on the [medal] podium [like] at any level of competition.

"It taught me how to deal with a multi-sport Games, how to deal with a Games environment, because I started to understand I'm one member [of a team] and I'm not [competing] in the only sport.

"Everybody says when you go to an Olympics, Paralympics, world championships, it's overwhelming," continued Le May Doan, "but a Canada Games starts to teach you how to be a part of that."

'One step at a time'

For athletes aspiring to represent Canada at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympics next February in Italy, Le May Doan understands the process can be overwhelming.

"One step at a time," is the advice from Canada's chef de mission at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. "You need to have a goal, but how do you take those steps on moving forward each day because between now and then a lot will happen."

A Calgary resident, Le May Doan is looking forward to watching Canada's long track speed skaters in the city at the Jan. 24-26 ISU World Cup event at the Olympic Oval after their impressive start to the season overseas.

Perhaps one of the women will lower her 37.22-second national mark in the 500 that has stood since December 2001.

"We have so many young [athletes] coming up. They think it's awesome I still have the Canadian record," said Le May Doan, who was also the first female speed skater to break the 38-second barrier, clocking 37.90 in November 1997.

"It's fun, but I want it to be broken because it should be broken. I'll be cheering them on [in Calgary]."