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Canada Perdita Felicien has transitioned from a World Champion hurdler and Olympian to an author, television host, and motivational speaker.
Perdita Felicien signed a major sponsorship deal with Nike and was involved in the official opening of the new Nike Malvern Sports Complex in Toronto alongside Toronto Mayor David Miller.
Perdita Felicien had a major sponsorship with Cheerios.
Perdita Felicien is an athlete ambassador for the non-profit group Right To Play and actively supports their initiatives, including a 2013 MBA class fundraiser at Smith Magazine.
Perdita Felicien served as a Sport-in-a-Box Ambassador for United Nations Canada.
Perdita Felicien was an ambassador for the RBC After-School Program.
Doubleday Canada published Perdita Felicien's memoir, "My Mother's Daughter."
Perdita Felicien is a Toyota Olympic Games Primetime Panelist for events such as Paris 2024.
Perdita Felicien was born on August 29, 1980, in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. Her mother, whose family originated from Saint Lucia, named her Perdita after hearing the name on the television show “The Price is Right.” Felicien later moved to Pickering, Ontario, where she began her track and field career after receiving an Award of Excellence in the Canada Fitness Award Program in grade 3. She initially competed in the 100m dash, 200m dash, and long jump, before dedicating herself to hurdling at Pine Ridge Secondary School. In 1998, she won the Ontario high-school hurdling championship and her first of two consecutive Canadian junior championships. Her athletic performance led to a scholarship at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she studied kinesiology.
At the University of Illinois, Felicien quickly made an impact. In her first year, she earned All-American honors in the 100m hurdles, setting a freshman record in NCAA history. The following year, she was ranked number one in the 100m hurdles by the NCAA and became the first Illinois athlete to win both indoor and outdoor national championships. She received the University of Illinois Female Athlete of the Year award three consecutive times and was recognized as the U.S. Track Coaches Association National Female Outdoor Athlete of the Year. In 2003, Felicien secured her second consecutive 100m hurdles national title, was named the Big Ten Conference “Athlete of the Year,” and earned NCAA Female Track & Field Athlete of the Year honors. Her international career peaked when she won the 100m Hurdles Final at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics in Paris, France, becoming Canada’s first female world gold medalist in the event. She was named Canada’s female athlete of the year, the first track athlete to receive this honor in 25 years.
Felicien continued her success by defeating Gail Devers in the 60m hurdle final at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Budapest, Hungary, setting a new record. She won a silver medal at the 2007 World Championships in the 100m hurdles and another silver at the Pan American Games that year. After retiring from competition in 2013, Felicien pursued a career in journalism and broadcasting. She has been a writer and reporter for CHCH News in Hamilton, Ontario, and a part of CBC Television’s broadcasting team for the Olympics, including co-hosting the 2020 Summer and 2022 Winter Olympic Games. In 2020, she became the host of the TV series “All-Round Champion.” Felicien is also the author of the national bestselling memoir, “My Mother’s Daughter.”
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