Canada at the Olympics facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Canada at the Olympics
IOC code	CAN
NOC	Canadian Olympic Committee
Website
Medals Ranked 16th	Gold Silver Bronze Total 157 189 232 578
Summer appearances
1900 1904 1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
Winter appearances
1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018
Other related appearances
1906 Intercalated Games

Canada has a long and proud history at the Olympic Games. Canadian athletes have taken part in almost every Winter Olympic Games and Summer Olympic Games. Their first appearance was at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. The only time Canada did not compete was at the 1980 Summer Olympics. This was because Canada, along with the USA and other countries, chose not to attend.

A cool fact is that Canada has won at least one medal at every Olympics it has ever competed in! The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) is the group in charge of Canada's Olympic teams.

At the 2010 Winter Olympics, Canada achieved something amazing. For the first time ever, Canada won more gold medals than any other country! These games were extra special because Canada was also the host nation. The events took place in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Olympic Host Cities in Canada

Canada has had the honor of hosting the Olympic Games three times.

Summer Olympics in Montreal

The first time Canada hosted was the 1976 Summer Olympics. These games were held in Montreal, Quebec. Many athletes from around the world came to compete.

Winter Olympics in Calgary and Vancouver

Canada has hosted the Winter Olympics twice. The first time was the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta. Later, the 2010 Winter Olympics were held in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Canadian Olympic Records

Canadian athletes have set many impressive records at the Olympics.

• In 2012, Ian Millar, an equestrian show jumper, competed in his tenth Summer Olympics. This tied the record for the most Olympic games played by an athlete. He has been chosen for eleven Olympic teams, but he missed the 1980 Summer Olympics due to Canada's boycott. In 2008, he won his first medal, a silver in team jumping.

• Clara Hughes is a unique Olympian. She is the only person from any country to win medals in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. She won two Summer medals and four Winter medals.

• Cindy Klassen and Charles Hamelin hold the record for the most Winter Olympic medals won by a Canadian. They each have six medals.

• Penny Oleksiak and Andre De Grasse are Canada's most decorated Summer Olympic athletes. Each has won 7 medals.

• Catriona Le May Doan was the first Canadian to win a gold medal at one Olympics and then win it again at the next. She won gold in women's 500m long track speed skating at the 1998 Nagano Olympics and repeated her win at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.

• Alexandre Bilodeau was the first freestyle skier to defend his Olympic title. He won gold in men's moguls at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. He was the second Canadian to defend an Olympic gold and the first man to do so.

• Trampoline gymnast Rosie MacLennan was the first Canadian to defend a gold medal in an individual sport at the Summer Olympics. She won gold in 2012 and 2016. She was also the first Olympian to defend her title in trampoline.

• After leading the women's ice hockey team to gold at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Caroline Ouellette made history. She became the first Winter Olympian from any country to win gold in four or more events. Ouellette had also won gold in ice hockey in 2002, 2006, and 2010.

• Jennifer Jones led the Canadian women's curling team to a gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics. She was the first female skip (team captain) in Olympic history to go undefeated throughout the tournament. Her team won all 11 of their games.

• During the 2016 Summer Olympics, swimmer Penny Oleksiak became the first Canadian to win four medals at a single Summer Games. At 16 years old, she was also the country's youngest Olympic multiple medalist. She won a gold in the 100 m freestyle, a silver in the 100 m butterfly, and two bronze medals in freestyle relays. She was also one of the first Olympic medalists born in the 21st century.

• After winning gold in 2010 Winter Olympics, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir became the first ice dancers from North America to win an Olympic gold medal. They ended a 34-year winning streak by European teams. They were also the first ice dance team to win gold on home ice and the first to win gold in their Olympic debut. They were the youngest pair to win an Olympic title. They later won two silver medals at the 2014 Winter Olympics and two more gold medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics. This makes them the most decorated figure skaters at the Winter Games.

• Broadcaster Richard Garneau covered 23 Olympic Games, more than any other journalist in the world. He started with the Rome games in 1960 and continued until the London games in 2012. He only missed two games during that time. The International Olympic Committee gave him the Pierre de Coubertin medal after he passed away. This award recognized his amazing service to the Olympic movement.

Top Canadian Medal Winners

Here are some of the Canadian athletes who have won the most medals at the Olympics.

• Years in bolded text are Olympics at which that competitor won a medal.

See also

In Spanish: Canadá en los Juegos Olímpicos para niños

• List of flag bearers for Canada at the Olympics
• List of Canadian Summer Olympics gold medalists
• List of Olympic men's ice hockey players for Canada
• List of Olympic women's ice hockey players for Canada
• Canadian Olympic stamps
• Own the Podium
• Canada at the Paralympics