I have not been paying too much attention to the Summer 2008 Olympics, but I cannot help from noticing that there has not been a single medal for any of our Canadian athletes.

What happened to the days of William J. (Bill) Sherring from Hamilton Ontario, who became one of Canada’s earliest Olympic heroes after winning a gold medal for the marathon at the 1906 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

How about Anne Ottenbrite who many decades later won Canada’s first gold medal in female swimming in the 200-metre breaststroke at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. She also won silver and bronze medals at the 1982 World Championships.

And what about the pioneering Matchless Six. Ethel Smith, Jean Thompson, Ethel Catherwood, Jane Bell, Bobbie Rosenfeld,
Myrtle Cook who from July 30 to August 5, 1928, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, six Canadians not only became the first women to compete in track-and-field at the Olympic Games, they also emerged as heroes by winning more medals—two gold, a silver and a bronze—and collecting more points than any other team.

“It didn’t make any difference if we were the first women or not. We were there to compete and win. That was the main thing.”

—Sprinter Ethel Smith

I could go on and on listing pages of former Canadian athletes who found glory. And I am left to wonder what is really going on in the world of amateur Canadian sports considering we are a first world nation, with facilities, and equipment, and even landscapes that should lend themselves very well to sports.

Are we not supporting our young athletes enough?

I do believe Canadians as a whole would be far happier if we embraced more physical activity such as cycling, swimming, running, and if we are letting our young athletes down it is a shame in my opinion.