Catriona Le May Doan to receive Honorary Degree from U of S

Posted September 18, 2003


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 18, 2003 2003-09-16-OTHER

Catriona Le May Doan to receive Honorary Degree from U of S

The University of Saskatchewan announced today that Olympian Catriona Le May
Doan will be receiving an Honorary Doctor of Laws at the Fall Convocation
ceremony on Saturday, October 25. She will also deliver the Convocation
Address.

"Catriona Le May Doan is an excellent candidate for an Honorary Degree for
many reasons including her outstanding athletic accomplishments, commitment
to community and her quiet leadership style," said President Peter
MacKinnon.

"She is a very fine world-class athlete. She works hard at her sport to be
the best she can be. She displays dedication, patriotism, deep loyalty, and
unassuming dignity, all of which are qualities of a role model for the youth
of Saskatoon, of Saskatchewan and for Canada."

Le May Doan was born and educated in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She started
what has become an impressive career in speed skating at the early age of
nine and became a hero for many Canadians in the 2002 Olympic Winter Games
in Salt Lake City, USA where she was awarded a gold medal in the 500 metre
speed skating sprint event.

Le May Doan became the first Canadian individual to win back-to-back gold
medals in the same sport as she had previously won the gold medal at the
1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. In 1998, she also captured the
bronze medal in the1000 metre race.

Other accomplishments include:

- She carried the Canadian flag at the opening ceremonies of the 2002
Olympic Winter Games
- She is the current 500 metre World Record holder (set a time of 37.22 in
Calgary in November 2001)
- From 1997-2001 she established 10 world records.
- She was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in May 2001.
- She carried the Maple Leaf for Canada at the closing ceremonies in Nagano,
Japan at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games.
- Named Female Athlete of the Year in 1998, 2001 and 2002
- She received the 2002 Lou Marsh Award as Canada's Outstanding Athlete of
the Year
- Book Catriona Le May Doan Going for Gold published by McClelland and
Stewart

Le May Doan will be remembered for her victory lap at the 2002 Olympics in
Salt Lake City where she proudly carried both a Canadian flag and the flag
of Saskatchewan.

She and her husband, Bart Doan, now live in Calgary.

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For more information, please contact:

Gordon Barnhart
University Secretary
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-4632
www.usask.ca

To arrange interviews*, obtain a photo, or a copy of her biography, please
contact:
Erin Taman
Communications Officer
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-6919
Email: erin.taman@usask.ca

*Please note that Le May Doan is completely bilingual.