Canadian olympic rowing champion Heddle dies

MONTREAL: Three-time Olympic rowing champion Kathleen Heddle has died at the age of 55 after a lengthy battle with cancer, Rowing Canada said Wednesday.

A statement from the federation on behalf of Heddle´s family said she "passed away peacefully, surrounded by the love of her family, at home in Vancouver, B.C., on January 11th, 2021."

Heddle won three Olympic rowing golds, in coxless pairs and eights in Barcelona in 1992 and in double sculls at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

She was the quiet half of a powerful partnership with the outgoing Marnie McBean.

The two are the only Canadians to win three Summer Olympics gold medals.

They also won two world pairs titles.

"Kathleen Heddle 1965-2021. 3x Olympic Champion ... Greatest of All Time," McBean, who was named Canada´s Chef de Mission for the Tokyo Olympics, wrote on Twitter. "I am crushed and without words today at this loss. Too soon."