Canadian sports fans chose Christine Sinclair of Burnaby as Canada's 2012 athlete of the year in a CBCSports.ca poll released Saturday.
Sinclair, outpolled current world champion figure skater Patrick Chan, 2012 Giro d'Italia champion cyclist Ryder Hesjedal, world champion bobsled driver Kaillie Humphries, Olympic test event gold medallist, trampolinist Rosie MacLennan and world ice dance champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir in the week-long contest.
On Monday, Sinclair picked up a second athlete of the year award, winning the Lou Marsh Award. The 29-year-old national team striker beat speedskater Christine Nesbitt, MacLennan, Chan, Hesjedal and Calgary Stampeders running back Jon Cornish. Chan won the Marsh award last year.
Sinclair was the captain of Canada's women's soccer team at the London Olympics that made history becoming the first national team to win a medal at the Summer Games since 1936. Her six goals led the tournament, including all three counters in a devastating 4-3 extra-time loss to the United States in the semifinals.
Sinclair, who is the national team's all-time leading scorers with 143 goals, was honoured as the country's flag bearer at the conclusion of the Games.
