TELEVISION

WOMEN WARRIORS II

Women Warriors is an exciting docu-series which profiles the amazing and inspiring lives of Canada's elite female athletes. Combining exciting, fast paced competition footage and intimate cinema-verite-style moments, each Women Warriors episode provides a glimpse into the tremendous perseverance and mental fortitude it takes to reach the upper echelons of sport. The series also touches on many social and economic issues that still plague female athletes in Canada even in the year 2004, like poor coverage of women's sports, gender stereotypes, funding issues and lack of sponsorship.

* French episodes available: see Les Battantes

Beckie Scott

If more Canadians know of competitive cross-country skiing, the likely reason is trailblazer Beckie Scott. In a discipline dominated by Europeans, Beckie is only the second Canadian female ever to reach the podium at a World Cup event and the only North-American woman to ever win an Olympic medal. She’s also been very vocal about the prevalence of drug use in her sport --- something that proved to be painfully ironic at the Salt Lake City Olympic Games. The two women who beat her for the Gold and Silver medals were later disqualified from the Games for doping.Return to top

Chantal Petitclerc

From world class athlete to a television host there seems to be no end to what Chantal Petitclerc can accomplish. A paraplegic since her early teens, Chantal participated in her first wheelchair race at the age of 18, and was immediately recognized as having significant natural talent. With a fierce determination to consistently improve and excel, Chantal has gone on to become one of the most decorated and recognized athletes in her sport. In 2002 she again wrote her name in the history books at the Commonwealth games, becoming the first disabled athlete ever to win a fully recognized medal at a multi-sport Games.Return to top

Charmaine Hooper

Charmaine Hooper has seen the growth of women’s soccer first hand. From playing with boys in Zambia as a child, to being part of one of the first organized girl’s team in Ottawa, Charmaine has proven to be one of Canada’s greatest ambassadors of the game. At 34, she still leads Team Canada in career goals and is holding her own with women nearly 20 years her junior. Charmaine splits her time between the national team and her professional American team the Atlanta Beat, and is at a place in her life where she never would have dreamed – making a living player soccer.Return to top

Clara Hughes

Most of us will never know the feeling of mastering one sport; Clara Hughes knows what it’s like to master two. Among only four people in the world to win medals at both a summer and winter Olympics, Clara credits athletics with giving her life direction and focus, especially as a teen. Born into an artistic family, Clara balances her time between training, her new home in Glen Sutton, Quebec and pursuing an arts degree at the University of Calgary.Return to top

Jennifer Button

Jennifer Button is a swimmer with fire. She holds 5 Canadian Championship gold medals and twice broke the Canadian butterfly short course record. Born into a swimming family, Jen’s mother is a coach and her brother was a former competitive racer. Jen and her brother both just missed making the national team in 1996 so when she qualified for the Sydney 2000 team, she knew she’d be making the Olympic journey for both of them.Return to top

Lauren Woolstencroft

Lauren is Canada’s Paralympic golden girl, racking up a hat-trick of medals at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games – two gold medals and a bronze. Her success is a testimony to Lauren’s dedication to the sport and determination to overcome any obstacle. Born missing both legs below the knee and her left arm below the elbow, she insists that her disability is as normal for her as any obstacle that other people face every day. A skilled skier from a young age, Lauren is also pursuing a degree in engineering.Return to top

Sharon Donnelly

In a sport that requires skill in three disciplines, Sharon Donnelly’s greatest attribute is probably not her physical stamina, but her inner strength. A three-time Canadian Champion and a Pan American Games gold medallist, her display of sheer will at the Sydney Olympics became the stuff of sporting legend when, bloodied and bruised after a nasty bike crash she pushed on and still managed to finish the race. A retired Captain in the Canadian Armed Forces, Sharon lives and trains at Canadian Forces Base Kingston and currently has her sights on the 2004 Olympics in Greece.Return to top

Therese Brisson, Ph.d.

A 10-year veteran on the national team, Therese is known to coaches and teammates as one of the most dedicated and hardest working players around. She began playing Ringette as a girl and first tried hockey when a high school teacher decided to put together a women’s squad. She lives her life with a philosophy of excellence --- of always working to one’s potential. Besides being a gold and silver Olympic medallist, Therese also holds a Ph.D. in Kinesiology and is currently pursuing an MBA.Return to top

Waneek Horn-Miller

From a young age Waneek Horn-Miller seemed destined for something big. Strong in physical presence and mental fortitude Waneek is an athlete that makes waves both in an out of the pool. She’s a Pan American Gold Medallist, and in 2000 participated with Team Canada in the historic debut of women’s waterpolo at the Sydney Olympics. It was also a debut of personal significance to Waneek as she became the first Mohawk woman to participate in the Olympic Games. A long-time crusader for native youth and for women, Waneek has worked hard to share her achievements in hopes of inspiring others to reach for their dreams.Return to top