Simon Whitfield
Olympic Triathlon Champion
Simon Whitfield is an Olympic triathlon champion, whose easy smile and exuberance has endeared him to Canadians. After winning his gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia Whitfield used his relentless drive to deliver another memorable performance and win a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Games. His relentless dedication to his sport will make him a contender in the London 2012 Olympics.
Simon Whitfield is an Olympic triathlon champion, whose easy smile and exuberance has endeared him to Canadians.
Whitfield’s gold medal win in the triathlon at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia is one of the most memorable performances by an individual athlete. He ranked thirteenth in the world, had not won a triathlon in a year and was not favoured to win. After a 15-man bike crash Whitfield was forced to stop – but eventually worked his way back near the leaders. He started the foot race in 24th place and resolutely moved his way up and eventually passed his competition in the last 200m to win the gold. His final time still stands as the fastest Olympic triathlon.
In the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England he claimed gold again. He ended up in 11th place at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
At the Beijing 2008 Olympics, Whitfield used his relentless drive to win a silver medal. Heading into the final kilometre of the run, he was a distant fourth. He burst into the lead with 200 metres remaining. Whitfield, exhausted by his effort to get back into the lead, was passed by the Jan Frodeno of Germany at the end of the race. He finished 5 seconds behind the German gold medalist.
His relentless dedication to his sport will make him a contender in the London 2012 Olympics.
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October 2009Simon Says Gold
From the moment Simon Whitfield burst onto the world stage at the 2000 Sydney Summer Games as triathlon's first Olympic champion, his winning personality and stellar athletic abilities have inspired young people around the globe. In Simon Says Gold, Simon describes his personal journey to Olympic glory as he recounts not only that glorious day in Sydney, but also the anguish of failing to repeat as Olympic champion in Athens in 2004, and his dramatic comeback at the 2008 Beijing Games, when his exhilarating race to a silver medal enthralled millions of fans around the world. Simon's stories of the highs and lows of his running career will captivate readers young and old, but his real message - that the simple pursuit of excellence is its own reward - will also inspire and motivate.
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