Born: 12 August 1979

Birthplace: Winnipeg (Canada)

Nationality: Canada

Sport: Skating

ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Salt Lake City 2002

Turin 2006

AWARDS

Olympic medals:

Gold: 1

Silver: 2

Bronze: 3

Other results:

World Single Distances Championships

Gold: 1 (2005)

Silver: 2 (2004, 2005)

Bronze: 3 (02, 03, 04)

World Allround Championships

Gold: 2 (2003, 2006)

Silver: 2 (2002, 2005)

World Sprint Championships

Silver: 1 (2003)

5 medals in Turin - a successful career change

At the age of two, Cindy Klassen was given a hockey stick and a pair of skates by her father. Her passion for sport grew quickly. This girl from Winnipeg naturally turned to ice hockey, and when women’s ice hockey was included on the programme of the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Cindy hoped to play for the Canadian team. Her disappointment at not being selected for these Games led her to give up competition ice hockey.

The young Canadian then turned to speed skating to improve her physical fitness. In 1999, she won her first races and a junior world championship title. In 2002, she discovered the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. This first experience was a success. She won a bronze medal in the 3,000 metres, placed fourth in the 1,500 and 5,000 metres, and finished 13th in the 1,000 metres.

At the Winter Games in Turin, the Canadian was one of the favourites, but the competition was tough against the Dutch, Germans and even her own team-mates. In spite of this, a host of medals awaited her.

Cindy finished third in the 3,000 metres, then second in the team relay four days later, being beaten by the Germans in the final. In the 1,000 metres, she won another silver medal. Then, on 22 February, Cindy Klassen competed in her favourite event, the 1,500 metres. This time, she seized her chance and beat her compatriot Kristina Groves and the young Dutchwoman, Ireen Wust. This was her first Olympic title.

Far from sitting back, Cindy competed in the 5,000 metres a few days later. Despite her misgivings about this race because of its length and the accumulated fatigue, she succeeded in winning a bronze medal behind two other great speed skaters: Germany’s Claudia Pechstein and Clara Hughes, another Canadian. Cindy Klassen thereby succeeded in winning a fifth medal in as many events.

With five medals, she became the most titled Canadian woman at a single edition of the Olympic Games. In recognition of her achievements in Turin, Cindy Klassen was chosen as the flag bearer for her delegation at the Closing Ceremony of these Games