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Silken Laumann
Silken Laumann
Silken Laumann
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As a child, Laumann
dreamed of being the next Nadia Comenici. But by the
age of 12, she was already 5'10" and over 100 pounds.
Her Olympic dream would not be realized as a gymnast.
Instead Laumann would become a rower and, in 1991, she was
in a league of her own: the world champion singles sculler
and Canadian Athlete of the Year. Laumann was also Canada's
best hope for a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics.
But all that changed on a warm May afternoon, only 10 weeks
before the start of the 1992 Olympics. While warming
up in Essen, Germany, Laumann was in a terrible accident.
Another boat blindsided her, ramming into the side of her
boat and lodging 200 pieces of wood into her lower leg.
Doctors said she might never row again.
But in less than 10 weeks, she came back to win the bronze
medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Her comeback captivated
the public's imagination, catapulted her into the public eye
and changed her life forever.
Silken Laumann: Flying on Water
includes the behind-the-scenes story of her courageous Olympic
comeback; her work today with disabled children and as a confident,
dynamic keynote speaker; family scenes with her husband, two
young children, mother, father, brother and older sister Daniele
- who first interested her in rowing and with whom she first
rowed competitively; featured moments with coach Mike Spracklen
and close friends who helped her during the time of her physical
recovery; and readings from a journal she has kept all her
life, revealing her innermost thoughts and explaining that
"rowing gave me my identity."
Original Air Date - October 10, 2000
Links
Silken
Laumann Official Web site
100
Greatest Female Athletes (from Sports Illustrated for Woman)
(Note: CBC does not endorse the content of external
sites)
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