Speaker Biography
In 2021, Christine Sinclair competed at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo as part of the team to win Gold! Inspired by the mission to ‘change the colour of the medal’, Sinclair now has 2 bronze and 1 gold Olympic medal.
Christine Sinclair grew up with soccer in her blood, having two uncles who led successful NASL careers. She first laced up her soccer cleats at age four and was soon tearing up the competition at Burnaby Girls Soccer Club. Climbing her way through the ranks of the national program, she played for Canada’s under-18 national team before making her senior level debut at the 2000 Algave cup where she led the team in scoring with three goals.
Christine captained the Canadian women’s soccer team for the 2012 Olympics in a journey that energized the nation. Through a series of heartbreaks, challenges and a sense of redemption, Sinclair led Canada to a bronze medal and its first Olympic podium in London, where she also served as Canada’s flag bearer at closing ceremonies. In recognition of her leadership and accomplishment, she received the Rosenfeld Award as Canada’s female athlete of the year. Committing over a decade to playing with Canadian team, she’s played in four FIFA World Cups and earned a gold medal at the 2011 Pan American Games. Christine has also won five professional women’s championship titles with three different teams along with two NCAA titles. She’s earned a “Top-5 Player in the World” status for the last decade and is a five time nominee for FIFA World Player of the Year.
Christine broke records in 2020, surpassing retired American Abby Wambach’s record of 184 international goals, at the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Her 185th international goal was named Canada Soccer’s Moment of the Year and she received the Rosenfeld Award for the second time, making her the first team-sport athlete to win the award twice. Sinclair is widely recognized as the greatest player to ever come out of Canada. She is Canada’s all-time leader in caps and goals, the first Canadian soccer player to make over 200 appearances with the national team.
Off the field, Christine campaigns for causes close to her. In April of 2020, she showed her support and appreciation for front-line workers through the Canadian Olympic Committee’s “We Are All Team Canada” campaign and in October, she joined forces with the Canadian Women’s Foundation to help raise funds for girls impacted by the pandemic. She also continues to help fight MS through her fundraising efforts.
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she attended the University of Portland, where she earned the “Academic All-American of the Year” by ESPN The Magazine, and was recognized as the collegiate “Woman Athlete of the Year.” Christine currently plays professionally for the Portland Thorns FC in the National Women’s Soccer League. She is a role-model for all Canadians, especially a generation of young aspiring female soccer players.
After more than two decades in the sport, she officially hung her cleats and retired from international play in 2023, but her impact today will be felt for generations.
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