News

Sept. 10, 2006 - Canadian athletics community mourns exceptional athlete

Sad news spread across the athletics community today regarding the tragic death of Candian distance great Emilie Mondor. Mondor was killed in a car accident Saturday afternoon in Quebec.

This is truely a great loss to our sport and our country, as Emilie was not only an exceptional athlete, but also a very unique and special character. Emilie exuded great strength and leadership; she defintely left a mark on everyone she met.

I have known Emilie for many years, since we were juniors together. I watched her do so many amazing things in athletics. I also saw her go through some difficult times in the sport, but she never seemed to lose motivation or her fighting determination to succeed. Emilie always tried to offer something of herself to other athletes, whether it be advice or anecdotal experience. I will always remember her for her ability to give 100 per cent effort no matter what the circumstances, and I think this is a testament to her success. What Emilie did for our sport was set the bar high, she had no limits, which challeged us all to think beyond our expectations and set higher goals than we might otherwise have thought were possible.

My heart goes out to Emilie's family; I hope they can find the same strength that she did so many times.

We all need to take this loss as example to never take anything for granted and cherish every moment, every race, every run.