Kathleen Heddle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kathleen Joan Heddle

Personal information
Born	(1965-11-27)November 27, 1965 Trail, British Columbia
Died	January 11, 2021(2021-01-11) (aged 55) Vancouver, British Columbia
Sport
Sport	Rowing
Club	Burnaby Lake Rowing Club
Medal record Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 3 0 1 World Championships 3 2 0 Women's rowing Representing  Canada Olympic Games Gold 1992 Barcelona Coxless pair Gold 1992 Barcelona Eight Gold 1996 Atlanta Double sculls Bronze 1996 Atlanta Quadruple sculls

Kathleen Joan Heddle (born November 27, 1965 – died January 11, 2021) was a famous Canadian rower. She competed in the Olympic Games and was incredibly successful. Kathleen and her rowing partner, Marnie McBean, made history. They were the first Canadians to win three gold medals at the Summer Olympics. They also earned a silver medal in double sculls at the 1994 World Championships.

Early Life and Rowing Start

Kathleen Heddle was born in Trail, British Columbia, on November 27, 1965. Her family moved to Vancouver when she was a baby. She went to Kitsilano Secondary School and later studied psychology at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

Kathleen first played volleyball in college. But during her third year, she saw the rowing team's booth. She decided to try rowing, partly because of her height. She rowed for UBC for two years. Even though she was good, she felt very nervous before big races. In 1987, she joined the national team. That same year, she won a gold medal in straight pairs at the 1987 Pan American Games.

Olympic Rowing Career

In 1989 and 1990, Kathleen was part of a team that finished fourth in world championships. After this, her coach paired her with Marnie McBean. Marnie was outgoing, while Kathleen was more quiet. At first, Marnie worried they wouldn't work well together. She even asked for a new partner.

Their coach told Marnie that Kathleen was the best rower on the team. He said Kathleen was even better than Marnie! At their first big competition, the 1991 World Cup, they beat the world champions. That year, they won a gold medal in straight pairs at the 1991 World Rowing Championships. They also won gold as part of Canada's eights team.

Olympic Gold Medals

Kathleen and Marnie continued their success at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. They won two more gold medals: one in straight pairs and another in eights.

In 1993, Kathleen took a break from rowing. When she returned, she tried a different type of rowing called sculling. At the 1994 World Rowing Championships, she and Marnie won a silver medal in double sculls. The next year, they won another silver medal at the championships. They also got a silver medal with the quad sculls team.

Kathleen's last competition was the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. There, she and Marnie won a gold medal in double sculls. She also won a bronze medal in quad sculls. At the time of her passing, Kathleen and Marnie were the only Canadians to win three gold medals at the Summer Olympic Games.

Awards and Recognition

Kathleen Heddle received many honors for her amazing rowing career.

• In 1994, she was welcomed into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame.
• In 1997, she received the Order of British Columbia. She was also inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and named B.C. Athlete of the Year.
• In 1999, she received the Thomas Keller Medal. This award is given by the International Rowing Federation (FISA) for outstanding careers in international rowing.
• In 2003, she was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame.
• In 2004, her old university, UBC, gave her an honorary doctorate degree.

Personal Life and Legacy

After she stopped competing, Kathleen Heddle lived in Vancouver. She married Mike Bryden in 2000. They had two children. One of her children also joined the rowing team at UBC, just like Kathleen.

Kathleen Heddle passed away on January 11, 2021, at her home in Vancouver. She was 55 years old and had been ill for several years.