Veteran Quebec journalist and sports commentator Richard Garneau died on Sunday at the age of 82.

Garneau is well known for his several decades of sports reporting on Radio-Canada's airwaves, including 23 years as a commentator with La soirée du hockey.

"I felt honoured to answer a question from Mr. Garneau because I knew in my heart that he did his homework," said former synchronized swimmer, Sylvie Frechette, who won a gold medal in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

"He knew what he was talking about. I also knew in my heart that he was there to let me bring the best out of myself."

Garneau began his career in November 1953 at CHRC, a radio station in Quebec City before moving on to CFCM-TV.

He joined the team at Radio-Canada in 1957 and remained there for the next 33 years.

Garneau held several positions in the Radio-Canada newsroom. Garneau covered more Olympic Games than any other journalist in the world.

In total, Garneau reported from 23 games throughout the course of his career, and only missed the Atlanta games in 1996.

He was awarded the Order of Quebec in 2000, the French merit prize in 1994 and was entered in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1999.

In recent years, Garneau's name was associated with important international competition like the Tour de France and the Quebec and Montreal Grand Prix.

Garneau published five books, including an autobiography published in two parts.