Clara Hughes

Clara Hughes is one of the biggest stories to ever emerge in Canadian sports. A double Olympic bronze medallist in cycling at the 1996 Olympic Summer Games, a bronze medallist in speed skating at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, followed by gold and silver in the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics and her recent bronze medal in the gruelling 5000m race in the Vancouver Winter Olympics, Clara is the only athlete in Olympic history to win multiple medals in both winter and summer Games.  

After winning gold in 2006, Clara donated $10,000 of her own money to the Right to Play programs, in turn raising over half a million dollars for the international humanitarian organization.  She also donated her $10,000 medal bonus money to the Vancouver inner city school program called 'Take a Hike' which uses adventure based learning to give youth at risk a better direction in life.  Most recently, Clara took part in hockey programs in Nunavik, Quebec, encouraging Inuit youth to stay in school and connect with her love of sport.  

Clara is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Member of the Order of Manitoba, holds honorary doctorates of Law from the University of Manitoba and the University of British Columbia and won the International Olympic Committee's 'Sport and the Community' award for her commitment to promoting the values of sport and play around the world. She is also an avid adventurer and enjoys bike touring and mountain climbing with her husband, Peter.

Hughes made her debut as a CBC Sports analyst for the track, road, and mountain bike events at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

She was given the great honour of being the Canadian flagbearer for the 2010 Vancouver Games Opening Ceremony.  The 2010 Games were her last as an athlete, and she has now retired from the world of competitive sport to dedicate her time to sharing the 'Lessons Learned' and her passion for sport.

• I. Let's Talk

  Clara Hughes has always felt that being a champion means more than winning. It is the actions off the playing field and the reaching out to others that defines success. As a designated spokesperson for Bell Canada’s 2010 Let’s Talk campaign, Hughes is working towards changing the dismal reality millions of Canadians are faced with when it comes to support and treatment for mental health issues.
  
  Reflecting upon her own experiences, Hughes discusses her personal struggles with depression in the past. Because she continues to reap the rewards of an educated and supportive environment, she has been able to manage and prevent depression from dragging her into darkness again. Using her voice, Hughes hopes that reaching out to others will help to eliminate the some of the stigma and fear that surrounds mental illness in Canada.

• J. Celebrity Appearances

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• H. Stepping Into the Unknown: How Change is Good and Stimulating

  This presentation focuses on how Clara switched from one sport to another and realized results no other athlete in history has (winning multiple medals in both summer and winter Olympics). She explains how she used unorthodox means of training to stay fresh and the adventure travel she did for her training.

• G. Reaching Out: How to Transcend Success and Give Meaning To What You Do By Becoming Involved in Charities and Organizations Which Make This World a Better, Safer Place for Many People

• F. The Team Behind Me: My Support Staff and the People Who Guided Me

• E. Excellence: Bringing the Best of Yourself In What You Do

  How did Clara make her last Olympic race as good as the first one?

• D. Meticulous Preparation: How to Plan and Prepare For The Race of Your Life and Keep the Focus

• C. Lessons Learned: Twenty Years in Sports at the Highest Level and What It Has Taught Me

• B. The Power of Sport and Play and the Impact It Has On Young People

• A. The Olympic Dream: From a Troubled Youth to a Champion, How Sports Changed My Life

• Clara was nothing short of a joy to work with. Every single person I talked to loved her keynote speech, and despite the crazy heat in our gymnasium, she carried it off so professionally. As a person, I cannot say enough wonderful things about Clara, and how personable she is. She was so nice, cheerful, hard-working, and not to mention stylish! Over the course of the day, I garnered even more respect for her than I could have had before, because I truly saw what a tremendous inspiration she is.

  Notre Dame 7th Annual Leadership Conference