Silken Laumann

Silken Laumann is now one of Canada's most inspirational leaders, a highly recognizable and beloved Canadian athlete.

Her career started at the age of 18 when she qualified for the National Rowing Team. Just one year later she won a bronze medal for Canada at the Summer Olympics in LA. A gold medal followed at the Pan American Games in 1987 and in 1991 Silken Laumann became the world champion.

She was subsequently showered with civic and corporate awards, (see biography/publicity) the ultimate being the Lou Marsh Award as Canada's Outstanding Athlete.

After winning The World Championships in 1991 Silken Laumann was the firm favourite for gold in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. However, only ten weeks prior to the games, while training in Germany another rowing skull cut across her path shredding muscles and breaking bones in her leg. Her leg injury was so severe that doctors doubted she would row again.

Within ten days, there were five operations. With dogged determination, she was back in her rowing shell just 27 days after the accident ready to pursue her Olympic dream. Through perseverance, determination and good medical support Silken Laumann rowed in the Barcelona Olympics. This courageous comeback caught the imagination and admiration of the world and remarkably she won the bronze medal for Canada.

Numerous awards and successes followed, including a silver medal at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. In 1998, she was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.

Silken is now a confident, dynamic inspirational speaker with a disarming sense of humour.She is also known for her commitment to children.

Silken Laumann is a member of the International Board of Directors for Right to Play (formerly Olympic Aid), a program dedicated to reintroducing play into the lives of children in refugee camps.

Silken Laumann was the recipient of the 2003 National Child Day Award from the Canadian Institute of Child Health. In September 2004, Silken Laumann established The Silken Laumann Active Kid's Movement, a national charity dedicated to increasing physical activity in children.

Silken divides her time between her family, public speaking, writing, and charity work.