chris k
Dec 29, 2007, 4:31 PM
Top cyclist has new honour; cites training on escarpment
John Kernaghan
The Hamilton Spectator
(Dec 29, 2007)
A "shocked beyond belief" Clara Hughes was named an officer of the Order of Canada yesterday and she credited her time in Hamilton as a factor in earning the honour.
The Olympic speed skater and cyclist was bowled over at being named along with Walter Gretzky, basketball superstar Steve Nash, former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour and oilman Jack Irving.
"To be in that kind of company makes it very special."
The Manitoba native moved to Hamilton at 18 in 1990 to train, and stayed seven years, honing her cycling skills under Dundas-based coach Mirek Mazur.
"I grew as a person and a competitor in Hamilton and I still have a lot of dear friends there," Hughes said from Glen Sutton, Que.
She won two bronze medals in cycling at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics based on her training up and down the escarpment.
"I feel like I wore out that Sydenham hill. It and the rural routes make the area one of the best places in the world to train."
Hughes became the only Canadian athlete to win medals in Summer and Winter Games when she captured a speed skating bronze in Salt Lake City in 2002. She then won a dramatic gold medal and added a silver at the skating oval in Turin in 2006.
Hughes said she still traces some of her success up to and including the Order of Canada to the growth, development and support she enjoyed in Hamilton. "Whatever I have done has some of its roots there."
Old cycling coach Mazur said she richly deserves the national honour.
"She has that rare ability to go to another level when the competition is the hardest."
As I read this article how she loved going down the Sydenham route, I thought about all the controversy on what to do with Mount Albion road. I was thinking that we could use this road exclusively as a cycle training center. I beleive it has the right grades to be able to go anywhere (if not, then to difficult)
I also beleive that promoting a training facility like this would be easy as I'm sure flar would be able to take great shots to promote the steep hills and gorgoeus scenery around here.
I think its an easy way to tap into the sports market as the infrastructue(escarpment)is already there. All the city (or private investor) would have to do is build a small lodge at the bottom where the road is cutoff.
I'm sure the cyclists wouldn't mind going down a hill split between two golf courses. (and a new highway:yuck:)
:cheers:
John Kernaghan
The Hamilton Spectator
(Dec 29, 2007)
A "shocked beyond belief" Clara Hughes was named an officer of the Order of Canada yesterday and she credited her time in Hamilton as a factor in earning the honour.
The Olympic speed skater and cyclist was bowled over at being named along with Walter Gretzky, basketball superstar Steve Nash, former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour and oilman Jack Irving.
"To be in that kind of company makes it very special."
The Manitoba native moved to Hamilton at 18 in 1990 to train, and stayed seven years, honing her cycling skills under Dundas-based coach Mirek Mazur.
"I grew as a person and a competitor in Hamilton and I still have a lot of dear friends there," Hughes said from Glen Sutton, Que.
She won two bronze medals in cycling at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics based on her training up and down the escarpment.
"I feel like I wore out that Sydenham hill. It and the rural routes make the area one of the best places in the world to train."
Hughes became the only Canadian athlete to win medals in Summer and Winter Games when she captured a speed skating bronze in Salt Lake City in 2002. She then won a dramatic gold medal and added a silver at the skating oval in Turin in 2006.
Hughes said she still traces some of her success up to and including the Order of Canada to the growth, development and support she enjoyed in Hamilton. "Whatever I have done has some of its roots there."
Old cycling coach Mazur said she richly deserves the national honour.
"She has that rare ability to go to another level when the competition is the hardest."
As I read this article how she loved going down the Sydenham route, I thought about all the controversy on what to do with Mount Albion road. I was thinking that we could use this road exclusively as a cycle training center. I beleive it has the right grades to be able to go anywhere (if not, then to difficult)
I also beleive that promoting a training facility like this would be easy as I'm sure flar would be able to take great shots to promote the steep hills and gorgoeus scenery around here.
I think its an easy way to tap into the sports market as the infrastructue(escarpment)is already there. All the city (or private investor) would have to do is build a small lodge at the bottom where the road is cutoff.
I'm sure the cyclists wouldn't mind going down a hill split between two golf courses. (and a new highway:yuck:)
:cheers:
