April 2, 2007 (Montreal, QC) — Guy Lafleur, a former pro hockey star, was named the “athlete of a generation” by readers of the Montreal-based daily, La Presse. Mario Lemieux, another hockey star, came in second while Chantal Petitclerc (Paralympics) came in third. Some 4,400 readers clicked on the website to indicate their selection for the athlete who made the biggest impression in his or her sport over the past 30 years as well as the biggest impression on the collective memory of the general population over that time. Pierre Harvey (cycling, cross-country skiing) finished eight while Clara Hughes (cycling, speed skating) finished ninth and Myriam Bedard (biathlon) finished 15th.

Columnist Pierre Foglia was previously quoted saying: “I would name Myriam Bedard and Pierre Harvey. For thousands of athletes, like myself, Pierre Harvey (who competed in both cycling and cross-country skiing in the 1984 Olympics) is the ultimate athletic reference”¦it is not Guy Lafleur (former professional hockey player with the Canadiens) nor Jacques Villeneuve (a former race car driver).” Despite this remark, Foglia’s top three picks””as indicated on the website””were:

1- Guy Lafleur
2- Gaétan Boucher
3- Pierre Harvey

Rankings of 30 athletes by La Presse readers:

1. Guy Lafleur (hockey)
2. Mario Lemieux (hockey)
3. Chantal Petitclerc (Paralympics)
4. Gaetan Boucher (speed skating)
5. Alexandre Despatie (diving)
6. Gilles Villeneuve (race cars)
7. Patrick Roy (hockey)
8. Pierre Harvey (cycling, cross-country skiing)
9. Clara Hughes (cycling, speed skating)
10. Sylvie Frechette (synchronized swimming)
11. Jean Luc Brassard (alpine skiing)
12. Marc Gagnon (speed skating)
13. Bruny Surin (sprinting)
14. Sylvie Bernier (diving)
15. Myriam Bedard (biathlon)
16. Martin Brodeur (hockey)
17. Raymond Bourque (hockey)
18. Caroline Brunet (kayaking)
19. Jacques Villeneuve (race cars)
20. Raymond Bourque (hockey)
21. Nicholas Gill (judo)
22. Eric Gagne (baseball)
23. Andre Viger (wheelchair racing)
24. Mike Bossy (hockey)
25. Eric Lucas (boxing)
26. Melanie Turgeon (downhill skiing)
27. Jennifer Heil (downhill skiing)
28. Sebastien Lareau (tennis)
29. Jasey Jay Anderson (snowboarding)
30. Carolyn Waldo (synchronized swimming)
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