Sylvie Daigle

Daigle, Sylvie

Sylvie Daigle, speed skater (b at Sherbrooke, Qc 1 Dec 1962). Daigle discovered speed skating at the age of nine when she went to the arena to play hockey and met some speed skaters who invited her to join them. It was the beginning of a real passion.

Sylvie Daigle was initially interested in long-track speed skating, and participated in the 1980 and 1984 Olympics. Problems with her tibias required her to undergo two operations, and once recovered, she specialized in short-track events where she had her greatest success. In 1979, at the age of 17, she became world champion. She accumulated 4 other world titles including 3 in succession from 1988 to 1990. Short-track speed skating was a demonstration sport at the 1988 Calgary Olympics where she won 1 gold medal, 2 silver medals and 1 bronze. At the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, she was on the Canadian gold medal team in the 3000-metre relay. In 1994, at Lillehammer, she helped her teammates take the silver in the relay. She ended her career in March 1994, by contributing to the Canadian team's first place win in the relay, and world title at the world championships. Throughout her career, she held several world records and won numerous awards. She was named to the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame 1991. She earned a medical degree from the U de Montreal in 1998.