Jesse Cockney facts for kids
Jesse Cockney was born on July 26, 1989, in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. He is a Canadian Olympic cross-country skier with Inuvialuit heritage. His father, Angus Cockney, was also a national ski champion for Canada.
Jesse made his first Olympic appearance at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. He competed in two events there: the sprint, which is the shortest race, and the 50 km mass start, which is the longest. Before the Olympics, Jesse had a very successful junior career. He won three gold medals at the 2011 Canada Winter Games in the 15 km classic, free sprint, and 4x5km relay events. He also started competing in the World Cup in 2011. Jesse grew up in Canmore, Alberta, where he joined a special ski development program. He is a member of the Nordic Hills Ski Club and the Canadian Senior Team. Jesse speaks both English and French. His younger sister is the actress and activist Marika Sila.
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Jesse Cockney's Skiing Journey
Jesse Cockney began his Olympic journey in Sochi, Russia, at the 2014 Winter Olympics. He competed in both the fast sprint race and the long-distance race. Before that, he had a great junior career, winning four medals at the 2011 Canada Winter Games (three gold and one bronze). He also placed sixth in the classic sprint at the 2011 FIS Nordic Ski World Under-23 Championships.
Jesse first competed in a World Cup event in January 2011. In December 2012, in his hometown of Canmore, Alberta, he finished ninth in the free sprint. Jesse is a promising member of the Canadian National Team. He is part of the Foothills Nordic Ski Club and is known for his passion for skiing.
His Life Off the Slopes
Jesse Cockney started skiing when he was just three years old in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. His father, Angus Cockney, was a big influence on him, both in sports and in learning about his Inuvialuit culture. Jesse learned about his heritage through his father's traditional carvings and stories.
To help Jesse become an even better skier, his family moved to Canmore, Alberta, when he was seven. Growing up in Alberta's ski programs helped him improve a lot. He says his parents and close friends helped him reach his goals. Jesse is very proud of his Aboriginal heritage as an Inuvialuk. One of his personal goals is to be a role model for Aboriginal children in Canada. When he's not skiing, Jesse enjoys cooking, climbing, traveling, watching and playing American football, and fishing. In 2022, Jesse and his sister Marika Sila competed together on the TV show The Amazing Race Canada 8.
Top Results and Achievements
In 2011, at the Canada Winter Games in Halifax, Jesse Cockney showed his strength by winning three gold medals. These were for the 4x5km relay, the sprint free, and the 15 km classic races.
In the FIS Nordic Ski Championships, Jesse had some notable finishes:
- In 2011, he placed twelfth in the 4x10km relay, fifteenth in the sprint free, and forty-eighth in the 15 km classic.
- In 2013, he finished twelfth again in the 4x10km relay and fortieth in the sprint classic.
- In 2015, he achieved his highest finishes, placing tenth in the 4x10km relay, thirteenth in the team sprint free, and fourteenth in the sprint classic.
Jesse earned 29 points in 2013, 2 points in 2015, and 26 points in 2016. He also had 26 points at the start of 2017. In February 2017, at a test event for the PyeongChang Olympics, Jesse finished tenth overall in the classic sprint. His most recent competition was at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, where he competed in the men's cross-country skiing sprint classic and placed 35th overall.
Olympic Results
| Event | Result | |
|---|---|---|
| Sprint | Jesse Cockney Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics  |
53rd |
| 50 kilometre | Jesse Cockney Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics |
56th |
| 4x10 kilometre relay | Jesse Cockney Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics |
12th |
| Sprint | Jesse Cockney Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics |
35th |
