Burnaby’s women’s soccer superstar Christine Sinclair received the Order of Canada from Governor General David Johnston in a ceremony in Ottawa last week.
Sinclair has led the Canadian women’s team to two Olympic bronze medals and has scored more goals than any other woman except one in international play. She has 168 goals in 2509 appearances, second only to retired American Abby Wambach’s 184.
“What’s special for me is that this goes beyond soccer,” said Sinclair in a Canada Soccer press release. “I am a very, very proud Canadian, I am proud of where I am from, and to be recognized in this nature is surreal.
“It’s not something you can dream about happening to you … I can dream of winning a World Cup or an Olympic gold medal, and that’s my job, but to have your country recognize you – I don’t even know what to say.”
She was voted Canada’s athlete of the year and female athlete of the year in 2012. In addition, she has received Canada Soccer’s player of the year honours 13 of the 17 years she’s been on the national team.
Sinclair, 34, is a graduate of Burnaby South Secondary who went on to lead the University of Portland to the NCAA title in 2005. She twice won the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy as the nation’s top collegiate women’s soccer player and received the Honda-Broderick Cup as the college woman athlete of the year in 2005.
In addition to her national team duties, Sinclair plays professionally for the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League.
Sinclair wasn’t the only Order of Canada recipient who hails from Burnaby last week with actor Michael J. Fox also being honoured.
