THUNDER BAY – Like millions across the country, Curt Harnett will be keeping an eye on Canadian athletes at the upcoming Pan Am Games.
Except his watch will be a lot closer.
Harnett, the Thunder Bay-raised cyclist who claimed three Olympic medals during his illustrious career, will serve as the Chef de Mission for the Canadian delegation during the Games, which will be held in Toronto in July.
“It’s a significant honour and I’m certainly proud to lead the Canadian team into these Games,” he said during the torch relay festivities in Thunder Bay on Sunday.
“It’s going to be a tremendous opportunity for our athletes from across Canada to compete at home. We’re looking at potentially the largest contingent we’ve ever sent to a multi-sport game with over 700 athletes.”
The 50-year-old delivered the torch to Thunder Bay city hall, passing through a crowd of familiar faces on his way to lighting the cauldron.
Along the way he encountered his childhood coach Harry Curtis, with whom he shared a quick embrace on his path to the cauldron.
“It just flashes back and being here, knowing these are the roads I cut my teeth on that inspired me to become the cyclist and athlete I was,” Harnett said. “It was certainly quite an honour to be here.”
Harnett rose to national prominence when he emerged from the 1984 Summer Olympics with a silver medal in the 1000-metre time trial. He added bronze medals at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics in the match sprint to become one of the country’s most successful cyclists.
He also excelled at the Pan Am Games, medaling twice at the 1987 event in Indianapolis including a gold in the 1000-metre time trial.
Harnett accomplished a lot of those feats while living outside of Canadian borders due to a lack of access to top-quality training resources.
All of the new facilities built for those games can completely change how the nation’s elite athletes prepare for international competition and can leave a lasting legacy.
“Now it’s this opportunity to have world-class facilities at home in Canada and we can concentrate a lot more of our efforts on providing services and supports these athletes need,” Harnett said.
“I think it’s a game-changer for our athletes and a game-changer for the sports. We don’t have to look too far from Vancouver 2010 and the momentum that was built out of that for our winter sport opportunities. Now we have summer sport opportunities in (southern Ontario).”
Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP Michael Gravelle was on hand at city hall for the ceremony and said the examples set by Harnett as well as fellow torchbearer Andrea Cole, a Paralympian medalist, sets a strong example for the community.
“I think it really is a symbol for young people to see they can achieve their goals,” Gravelle said.
“It’s a wonderful thing to see that and you can feel that spirit.”
Harnett said the goal for the country is a top-two finish in the medal count, as well as to engage the country and have Canadian supporters at every event.
A lot of the athletes competing will also be wearing the maple leaf at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, he added.
The opening ceremony of the 2015 Pan Am Games take place on July 10.
