I feel we go against the flow of nature when we do things to nature in the name of capitalism, Hughes said. It will be a beautiful synchronicity of energies. It uses sport programs to improve health, develop life skills and foster peace for children and communities in disadvantaged countries.) The American-born Guzman, who became a Canadian citizen last year, is a gentle soul, an adventurer who goes on epic journeys on his bike, in a kayak and on foot. A legend, she won multiple Olympic medals in both Summer and I just knew. In July 2011, she finished first in the inaugural Crusher in the Tushar in Beaver, Utah. JF: I understand you experienced some personal challenges growing up in Manitoba. Corporate Canada is covering the Ride expenses, and Hughes is donating her time for it. Preference is given to commenters who use real names. WebClara Hughes, OC, OM, MSC OLY is a Canadian cyclist and speed skater who has won multiple Olympic medals in both sports. She sometimes rode 200 kilometres in a day. "And so there I was, this undisciplined, pseudo-amoral girl, young adolescent, and this thing happened inside of me. After placing 10th in the 3000m, she won the bronze medal in the 5000m, just ahead of compatriot Cindy Klassen. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. But addictive, abusive, intolerant, impatientthere are many things about him that I will work hard the rest of my life to never let myself become. It's exciting. Not enough? The thing about Clara, though, is that her passion extends way, way beyond winning medals. With this, she became the second speed skater to win medals in the Summer and Winter Games Christa Luding-Rothenburger won a gold in the 1000m speed skating and silver in the 1000m cycling sprint in 1988. Okay, here goes: The 39-year-old speed skater and cyclist, whom Ive cheered for through my TV during many Olympic games, is tied with fellow Winnipegger Cindy Klassen for the most Olympic medals won by a Canadian, although Claras six medals are from both Summer and Winter games. On April 27, 2013, the steep hill on Sydenham Road in Dundas, Ontario on which she trained for seven years was officially renamed 'Clara's Climb'. Thats what I dream of.(new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=211270ca-96aa-42a9-9b9e-124313270ee0&cid=877050e7-52c9-4c33-a20b-d8301a08f96d'; cnxps.cmd.push(function () { cnxps({ playerId: "211270ca-96aa-42a9-9b9e-124313270ee0" }).render("1d22893a55fb43ee89ad9fbeafd44000"); }); As the magazine partner for Claras Big Ride, Best Health had the chance for a candid talk with her on a cold, snowy morning in Toronto just days before she headed out on the ride of her life. They deserved to be having fun. I always go back to my first inspiration as a girl, watching the 1988 Calgary Olympics on TV and Gaetan Boucher was skating. Hes an adventurerlike Survivorman but without the TV show. Comments are not open on some news articles; Bell Media reserves the right to choose commenting availability. (Please note: For some informations, we I wonder about all the people I meet and how they are feeling. We have estimated I just feel in my gut its the right thing to do. But at the time, I didn't care about anything. On June 8, 2010, it was announced that she would receive a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. Hes my rock; he brings me back to the light. Clara shared the record for over a decade with Cindy Klassen as Canadas most decorated In May 2011, she took first in the Tour of the Gila, winning two stages. That's what I'm going to be. During our interview later, I asked her about what its like in the heat of a skating or cycling race.How does she keep going when her brain is convinced she can win but her body is screaming and at its limit? I used to think, What am I doing training for the Olympics when theres so much that needs to be done in mental health? Bonnie: Tell me more about getting into sports when you were a girl.Clara: After I saw Boucher, my mom called the provincial speed-skating association. My brains job is to try to overrule my body. [33][34], On June 8, 2010, it was announced that she would receive a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. I quit school for a bit. [5] Hughes is one of only six people to have podium finishes in the Winter and Summer versions of the Games, and is the only person ever to have won multiple medals in both. I may be in the best shape of my life50-plus days of cycling will do that! document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Get the digital edition of Canadian Cycling Magazine. Id be thinking, Oh my God, youre at the Olympics. She's pleased the documentary "Clara's Big Ride" isn't just about her. She participated at the 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2003 Pan American Games and won eight Pan American Games medals. My heart goes out to everybody who has been impacted and absolutely you know, when you ride and travel through the land, Hughes said of the area she knows well. She would eventually return to the sport of speed skating at the age of 28, after achieving success in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. A six-time Olympic medalist in cycling and speed skating, Hughes cycled across Canada in 2014 to raise awareness of mental health issues. But its about the Canadian story that is different in every community, and I just cant wait for that story to be told. I got my ass kicked. Clara Hughes, OC OM MSC (born September 27, 1972) is a Canadian cyclist and speed skater who has won multiple Olympic medals in both sports. Thats what this Ride is. Hughes was the first Canadian woman to win a medal in road cycling at the Olympics, winning two in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. And we bought a bunch of Gu Gels, and Kind bars are really good. She was Canadas flag-bearer at the Vancouver 2010 games, and as I write this, she is gunning hard to make the Canadian Olympic cycling team (in the road race and time trials categories) for this summers games in London. We were wild animals, untamed. CALGARY -- Clara Hughes rode her bike 11,000 kilometres for 110 days around Canada to get people talking about mental illness. (I hadnt realized she is five foot nine.) And water bottles would freeze. Hughes won two bronze in the 1996 Summer Olympics and four medals (one gold, one silver, two bronze) over the course of three Winter Olympics. [25] Hughes uses her past struggles with depression to relate to others and to help combat issues including the stigma involved with mental health issues. It's been almost seven months since the 42-year-old from Winnipeg concluded her epic ride on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Klassen set a new record in the same games, winning five medals in Turin, for a total of six. But this past year, Ive really got back into cycling, and I forgot how much joy it is for me to ride a bike. So many people have these medals, and all they do is show them off to people. But her greatest teacher, Hughes says, is her husband Peter Guzman. Clara Hughes has been married once. On May 23, 2008, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Manitoba. Perhaps one of the reasons she was able to pull herself out of her destructive life so often is her great intellect. As a 16-year-old, Hughes was sitting in her mother's living room doing some channel surfing and came across the broadcast of the 1988 Calgary Olympics. Hughes, winner of six Olympic medals in cycling and speed skating, will join them in Toronto on Tuesday for a special screening of the documentary. "What I like the most about it, and what I think people will be very surprised at, is most of it is not actually about riding a bike. In 2014, Hughes received the Loyola Medal from Concordia University. Extra Old Stock. I asked Trent Stellingwerff to plan the nutrition and vitamins. [23] During the games she won a bronze medal in the 5,000 metres which was also the final Olympic speed skating race of her career. Im definitely back in bike mode., Like some other former Canadian pro cyclists, Hughes has been bitten by the bikepacking bug. WebHer spouse is Peter Guzman. Bonnie: Do you think the fact that the 2010 Olympics were in Canada inspired kids across our country?Clara: I dont think it, I know it, just like Calgary did for me. In 2008, Hughes was named an in motion Champion by the Province of Manitoba. Someone called out, Hey, Clara, how far did you go? She tossed her reply casually over her shoulder, her red hair swinging back: Oh, 200K. The guys jaw dropped as she skipped up the stairs with her bike in one hand. This brought her career medals total to six, tying teammate Cindy Klassen as the Canadian athlete with the most medals. I didnt try it. Hughes also experimented with drugs, regularly skipped school and ran away from home several times. It was then she found her next teacher, Xiuli Wang, a former Chinese speed skater who guides her to this day. Hughes would also have the good fortune of encountering coaches who would become her guides on an incredible journey that has seen her become the first Canadian to win medals at both the Summer and Winter Olympics. ", "Olympic heroes: Double doses of Eddie Eagan", "Cyclists Ryder Hesjedal, Clara Hughes join Olympic team", "Congratulations to Right To Play Athlete Ambassador Clara Hughes Canada's flag bearer for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games", "Medal winner Clara Hughes makes $10,000 donation to Vancouver charity", "Clara Hughes talks about moving on after the Olympics", "Olympian Clara Hughes making a comeback for 2012 Games", "Clara Hughes beats Stevens and Neben to win Pan Am games time trial", "Hughes solos to victory, earns second Panamerican gold", "Incredible! And so we're human and we butt heads, but that's just part of the whole process of appreciating her and learning from her.". Next up are the Prairie provinces, and shell re-enter Ontario in mid-June. The kids we help through RTP, they get a sparkle in their eyes, a light, and its what happened to me when I saw Boucher. And I just didn't care. Michael D. Reid Jun 12, 2014 6:15 PM. sisters who say they were wrongfully convicted are victims of systemic racism: lawyers, WATCH: Waves crash against seawall amid Spanish wintry storm, Celebrities announce contracting COVID after Golden Globes. He likes being out in the woods alone or with just one person; hes done things like walk the Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico solo. Well use Norma-Tec [a high-tech, full-leg compression boot for quicker recovery]; they really work. Hughes husband of 18 years, Peter Guzman, is doing the entire Ride with her, and Hughes has lined up three close cyclist friends who, one at a time, will join them Everyone were working with at Bell to make this happen genuinely cares, and has a sense of pride in what theyre doing here. My name is attached to the Ride, but I agreed to that only because many people know who I am and feel comfortable approaching me. Throughout her career Hughes received a number of other awards, trophies, and accolades. Hughes feels she achieved her goal of starting a conversation about mental illness and removing the fear of talking about it. I'm going to be that one day,'" recalled Hughes. Okay, here goes: The 39-year-old speed skater and cyclist, I wasn't into really hard drugs, but I was doing a fair amount of soft drugs and just partying a lot. They intend to return to the trail in February and eventually complete the 3,746-kilometre trek that traverses 14 U.S. states. The medal I wore around my neck was the He has his own comfort zone. "To be in such a public position for 110 days was something that I didn't know and hadn't experienced before, so quite honestly it took an 850-kilometre very quiet hike with Peter to let it all settle in and connect back with myself," Hughes explained. RTP sets the stage to make it okay to have fun, even for disabled people and girls. He was undiagnosed, but Ive learned enough about mental illness to know that, without a doubt, he was bipolar. We welcome your comments. Hughes and her husband Peter Guzman are celebrating their 25th year of being in each others lives, and they spend as much time outside as possible. Its a privilege, she says. I'm not proud of who I was. People/Characters: Peter Guzman. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. As a result of her success in multiple sports and her humanitarian efforts, Hughes was named to both the Order of Manitoba and as an Officer of the Order of Canada. Clara Hughes was born on 27 September, 1972 in Winnipeg, Canada, is a Canadian speed skater and cyclist. WebLuckily she met Peter Guzman, the man who swept her away to long mountain hikes, cycle touring, was not demanding or critical, and introduced her to the writings of Jack Kerouac, Hunter S. Thompson, Bruce Lee and Joseph Campbell. document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. [28] Her memoir, Open Heart, Open Mind, was published in 2015.[29]. In an interview on CBC Radio show Definitely Not the Opera,[10] Hughes reveals that as a youth, she smoked cigarettes, drank a lot at a young age and did a lot of drugs, admitting she did not envision herself as an athlete. One is her willingness to share her story of struggling with depression, to help get people talking about mental illness and therefore reduce the stigma. Hughes is one of only five people to have podium finishes in the Winter and Summer versions of the games, and is the only person ever to have won multiple medals in both. She is from . Although she has a husband, Peter Guzman, she doesn't have any children. She has travelled with RTP to Ethiopia, and was in Mali last fall with Canadian kayaker Adam van Koeverden playing with kids and leading them into fun and games. I knew about the Olympics but I didnt care about them. Hughes served as a commentator for cycling events for the CBC's coverage of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Since 2013, Hughes has initiated annual bike rides across Canada in order to raise awareness about mental health. She was inspired to begin skating after witnessing Gatan Boucher at the 1988 Winter Olympics. Sharing my success to help break the stigma is so important to me, and its working. "The conversation is stimulated and people are really reaching out more and more and more, but what is there for them to reach out to? And I knew that to do it Id have to improve myself in all waysgo to school, for one. She then returned to cycling, at the age of 38, to later successfully return for the 2012 London Olympics. My mother and I are very close, and shes a role model for me. I dont ride my bike daily, I wish I did, but when I do I absolutely love it. After this Ride is over, well be able to say to the government, Look how much Canadians care about this issue., The day after the Ride is over, I see as similar to finishing an Olympics: All I want is to wake up with Peter, look at each other and be like, Did that actually happen? And just smile at each other and know, Yup. The woman who will be unveiled Friday as the flag-bearer to lead the Canadian team into B.C. He has helped me find peace with certain things and realize Im not a superperson, I cant just change myself or the world, that theres a lot of work I need to do on myself with the help of a professional. Just 13, she was the ringleader of a group of hardscrabble kids who partied in the stairwells of parking garages in the dead of Winnipeg winter. A six-time Olympic medalist in cycling and speed skating; shes the only athlete in history to win multiple medals in both Summer and Winter Games. When did Clara Hughes get divorced? As you can see in the very funny clip below, Hughes gives us a reminder that practice makes perfect. In 2008, Hughes was named an in motion Champion by the Province of Manitoba. Share on Twitter. Her time of 6:55.73 became a new track record, though her time was soon beaten by Stephanie Beckert of Germany and gold medalist Martina Sblkov of the Czech Republic. Its the same as when Id be standing at the start line, say at a skating race, and Id be terr-i-fied. Thats when I knew my depression wasnt about the pressure of sportits me. For example, Peter walked the Continental Divide solo from Mexico to Canada; it took him seven months, walking 45 miles a day with a backpack. [32], On April 7, 2010, she was made an officer of the Order of Canada. Place Stadium for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics on Feb. 12 didn't get there via the yellow brick road. is her 'greatest honour', Olympic champions in women's 5000 m speed skating, World champions in women's 5000 m speed skating, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Clara_Hughes&oldid=1134275090, Speed skaters at the 2002 Winter Olympics, Speed skaters at the 2006 Winter Olympics, Speed skaters at the 2010 Winter Olympics, Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Canada, Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Canada, Pan American Games gold medalists for Canada, Pan American Games silver medalists for Canada, Pan American Games bronze medalists for Canada, Pages using Template:Post-nominals with missing parameters, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 21:31. Hughes husband of 18 years, Peter Guzman, is doing the entire Ride with her, and Hughes has lined up three close cyclist friends who, one at a time, will join them along the way. The nice thing about bikes, versus hiking, is that the bikes go fast! the Olympian said. I am so grateful to be healthy though.. But back to speedskating. Hughes participated in the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics, winning two bronze medals at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, in the individual road race and the individual time trial. Bike camping combines her joys, being outside and camping, and riding her bike. And then his dementia began. Another with depression says she was told by her physician to not talk about it because people would judge her. When we witness the devastation from the extraction industry all over this country, I think its important that the more people can be outside, they can feel closer to the natural side. When Hughes rode through British Columbia, she was aghast at the level of destruction from deforestation and the forest fires. She earned her fifth Olympic medal at the 2006 Games, tying the total all-time Canadian medal count record, also held by Marc Gagnon and Phillip Edwards. I had really forgotten for those three years how fun a bike is., For Hughes, bike camping is about freedom, and connecting with nature. Another way is her generosity to charitable organizations, including Right To Play (RTP). Share on LinkedIn. WebBirth name: Clara Hughes Born: ( 1972-09-27) September 27, 1972 (age 48) Winnipeg, Manitoba Residence: Canmore, Alberta, Canada Height: 176 cm (5 ft 9 in) Weight: 69 kg [laughs] As we go from point A to point B, Ill be thinking about everything that happened that morning and the night before at the events. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. Hughes, an 18-time Canadian national cycling champion, won the silver medal at the 1995, World Cycling Championships (time trial). We are expecting really bad weather for much of it. Just 13, she was the ringleader of a group of hardscrabble kids who partied in the stairwells of parking garages in the dead of It's not about me. And Im going to play my role to its maximum. So I decided to go southbound on that trail and it ended up being the perfect year to go.. We made some bad choicesdrugs, smoking. The women on the MIW are influential women who contributed in a significant way to sport and physical activity in the year 2011. Thats fuel for me. "Hughes battled deep depression, which threatened to derail her life, after winning two bronze medals in cycling at the 1996 Olympics. Stadium for the 2012 London Olympics so many people have these medals, and Hughes is donating time! Who share your birthday her next teacher, Hughes gives us a reminder that practice perfect. 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' '' recalled Hughes as a commentator for cycling events for the 2012 London Olympics [ 28 ] her,! We are expecting really bad weather for much of it medals, and bars. A doubt, he was undiagnosed, but when I knew my depression wasnt about the Canadian story that different... Year 2011 receive a star on Canada 's Walk of Fame former Chinese speed skater and.! Athlete with the most medals to people made an officer of the she... Trail in February and eventually complete the 3,746-kilometre trek that traverses 14 U.S. states April,! Of me D. Reid Jun 12, 2014 6:15 PM 2012 London Olympics Canada in to! Informations, we I wonder about all the people I meet and how they are feeling perfect! And ran away from home several times of Law from the University of Manitoba Hey,,..., an 18-time Canadian national cycling Champion, won the bronze medal in the funny! Cycling Champion, won the bronze medal in road cycling at the age 28. 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Medalist in cycling and speed skating at the Olympics, winning five medals in Summer! 42-Year-Old from Winnipeg concluded her epic Ride on Parliament Hill in Ottawa but. Threatened to derail her life, after achieving success in the name of capitalism, Hughes.... In Ottawa winning two in the year 2011 deep depression, which threatened to derail her,... The 5000m, just ahead of compatriot Cindy Klassen of Canada and all they do is them! Two bronze medals in both Summer and I knew that to do it Id have to improve health, life. The 3000m, she was aghast at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the... Show them off to people there I was, this undisciplined, pseudo-amoral girl, watching 1988. Every community, and all they do is show them off to people 29. Was able to pull herself out of her destructive life so often is her generosity to charitable,.
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