Major Notes:

• Clara Hughes became the first Canadian to win Olympic medals at both the summer and winter games.

• Hughes became interested in speed skating after watching the 1988 Winter Olympics that were hosted in Calgary.

• She began skating in earnest and soon won a 3000 metre junior championship.

• Hughes felt that cycling might help her keep in shape in the summer off season and began that sport as well.

• It wasn't long before she was recognized for her cycling talent and cycling became her major endeavour.

• In 1991, Hughes won a silver medal at the Pan American games, the first of eight that she would win in those games over time.

• Over the next few years, she competed and won several medals in cycling in various games plus the Olympics.

• She was forced to retire from cycling activities in 1998 because of an ankle injury but resumed again in 1999.

• At the age of 28, Hughes decided to switch again to speed skating and competed successfully to win a berth on the 2002 Canadian Olympics team.

• Prior to the 2006 Olympics, she publicly announced she would not be the Canadian flag bearer but did accept the position for the 2010 games.

• She again won medals at both of these Olympics and tied for having won the most medals in her career by a Canadian athlete..

• Clara Hughes is the only person in the world who has won multiple medals in both Summer Olympic and Winter Olympic games.