Clara Hughes, the only athlete to win multiple medals at both the Summer and Winter Olympics, notched a new feat Tuesday, completing a 110-day, 7,000-mile bike trek across Canada.
“Clara’s Big Ride” for mental health awareness began March 14 in Toronto. She endured the Great White North’s frigid winter and the summer heat before ending her journey in the nation’s capital, Ottawa, on Canada Day.
The retired cyclist and speed skater made it through 105 communities in all 10 provinces and all three territories, traversing Canada counter-clockwise. Hughes, 41, won two Olympic cycling bronze medals in 1996 and speed skating medals in 2002, 2006 and 2010.
“My journey around this great country has shown me that Canadians everywhere are ready to talk about mental health and eager to make a difference,” Hughes said in a statement. “So many wonderful, open and welcoming people, from Canada’s big cities to the small settlements of the North, communities in every province and territory -- all sharing the dream of a stigma-free Canada, a place where those who struggle aren’t afraid to ask for help.”
11,000km later, @ClaraHughes_ takes Clara's Big Ride for Bell Let's Talk over the finish line http://t.co/7HiA6AgKeF pic.twitter.com/EmsK6J92v9
— CTV News (@CTVNews) July 1, 2014
Six-time Olympic medallist @ClaraHughes_ finishes 110-day, 12,000km ride for mental health. #ClarasBigRide #CanadaDay pic.twitter.com/sFwLPTAnxW
— Team Canada (@TeamCanada) July 1, 2014
