Marc Gagnon

Marc Gagnon

Personal information
Born	(1975-05-24) May 24, 1975 Chicoutimi, Quebec
Medal record Men’s short track speed skating Representing  Canada Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 3 0 2 World Championships 14 10 5 World Team Championships 5 1 0 Olympic Games 1998 Nagano 5000 m relay 2002 Salt Lake City 500 m 2002 Salt Lake City 5000 m relay 1994 Lillehammer 1000 m 2002 Salt Lake City 1500 m World Championships 1993 Beijing Overall 1993 Beijing 1000 m 1994 Guildford Overall 1994 Guildford 1000 m 1995 Gjøvik 1000 m 1995 Gjøvik 5000 m relay 1996 The Hague Overall 1996 The Hague 1500 m 1997 Nagano 1500 m 1998 Vienna Overall 1998 Vienna 1500 m 1998 Vienna 1000 m 1998 Vienna 5000 m relay 2001 Jeonju 1500 m 1993 Beijing 500 m 1994 Guildford 1500 m 1995 Gjøvik Overall 1996 The Hague 1000 m 1996 The Hague 3000 m 1996 The Hague 5000 m relay 1997 Nagano Overall 1997 Nagano 5000 m relay 2001 Jeonju 3000 m 2001 Jeonju 5000 m relay 1993 Beijing 3000 m 1994 Guildford 3000 m 1994 Guildford 5000 m relay 1997 Nagano 3000 m 2001 Jeonju Overall World Team Championships 1995 Zoetermeer Team 1996 Lake Placid Team 1998 Bormio Team 2000 The Hague Team 2001 Nobeyama Team 1994 Cambridge Team

Marc Gagnon (born May 24, 1975) is a Canadian short track speed skater. He is a four-time Overall World Champion for 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1998, and winner of three Olympic gold medals.

Biography

Born in Chicoutimi, Quebec,^[1] Gagnon started his Olympic career in 1994, when he had already won the 1993 World Championships. He won a bronze in the 1000 m event. Four years later, in Nagano, Japan, Gagnon won a gold medal with the Canadian relay team. The 2002 Salt Lake City Games proved to be Gagnon's best Olympics, with a total of three medals. A bronze in the inaugural 1500 m event, and two golds; in the 500 m and again as a part of the relay team. Even his disqualification in the 1000 m was memorable, as it was the first of an improbable series of events that led to Australian Steven Bradbury winning arguably the most unlikely gold medal in Olympic history.

Winning a total of five medals in three consecutive Winter Games made him the most decorated Canadian athlete in Winter Olympic history until 2006. He has now been overtaken by long track speed skater Cindy Klassen and long track speed skater/road cyclist Clara Hughes, who each have a total of 6 medals. Tied with track and field athlete Phil Edwards and fellow short track speed skater François-Louis Tremblay,^[2] he is one of the five most decorated Canadian athletes in all Olympic Games.

Gagnon won his World Championships in 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1998. He is the first man to have become a four-time Overall World Champion. In addition, he finished 2nd twice, and third once.

In 2008, Gagnon was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.^[3]

References