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Canada Chantal Petitclerc is a decorated Paralympic athlete and influential figure, known for her exceptional achievements in wheelchair racing and her subsequent transition into advocacy and public service.
Rio Tinto Alcan has been Chantal Petitclerc's main sponsor since 1998, supporting her athletic career.
Chantal Petitclerc regularly promotes Para sport in Canada and served as Chef de Mission at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, advocating for the Paralympic Movement.
Chantal Petitclerc is a Paralympic commentator for both CBC and Radio-Canada, providing her expertise and perspective on the sport.
Chantal Petitclerc, along with Rick Hansen and Scott Russell, was one of the first individuals named to the Paralympic Foundation of Canada, working to support Para sport.
Petitclerc works as an ambassador for the international Right to Play organization, engaging in projects that use sport for development and peace.
Petitclerc has been a spokesperson for Défi Sportif AlterGo for 17 years, an event dedicated to adapting sports for athletes with functional limitations.
Chantal Petitclerc was born on December 15, 1969, in Saint-Marc-des-Carrières, Quebec, Canada. At the age of 13, she experienced an accident involving a heavy barn door that resulted in a fractured spine, leading to the loss of use of both her legs. This life-altering event did not deter her from pursuing a path of athleticism; she was introduced to swimming by her high school physical education teacher, Gaston Jacques, which helped her build strength and independence. This early exposure to sports also ignited a competitive drive within her.
Her journey into competitive wheelchair racing began at 18 when Pierre Pomerleau, a trainer at Université Laval, introduced her to the sport. Despite finishing last in her first race using a homemade wheelchair, she developed a passion for it. Petitclerc continued her studies in social sciences at CEGEP de Sainte-Foy and history at the University of Alberta, where she trained under Peter Eriksson, who remains her coach. These early years established the foundation for a remarkable athletic career, marked by rigorous training and academic pursuit.
Petitclerc’s career is defined by extraordinary success in the Paralympic Games, where she garnered 21 medals, including 14 gold, across five Games from 1992 to 2008. Her unparalleled performance at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, where she won five gold medals, earned her the prestigious Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s athlete of the year and the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as Canada’s top female athlete. Beyond her athletic feats, she has become a passionate advocate for Para sport and people with disabilities, serving as Chef de Mission for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and later appointed to the Senate of Canada in 2016. In her senatorial role, she focuses on health and disability rights.
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