Gordon Singleton

Gordon Singleton, born on August ninth, nineteen fifty-six, was a remarkable Canadian sport cyclist whose legacy in track cycling is unparalleled. He made history in nineteen eighty-two by becoming the first Canadian cyclist to win a world championship, a feat that solidified his status in the sport. Singleton's prowess was further highlighted when he became the only cyclist to hold world records in all three sprint races—200m, 500m, and 1000m—within a mere twenty-four hours from October ninth to tenth in nineteen eighty.

Despite his extraordinary talent, Singleton faced a significant setback when he was unable to compete in the nineteen eighty Summer Olympics due to Canada's boycott of the games in Moscow. Nevertheless, he continued to excel on the international stage, winning gold medals at the nineteen seventy-eight Edmonton Commonwealth Games and the nineteen seventy-nine Puerto Rico Pan Am Games, proudly representing Canada.

In recognition of his contributions to cycling, Singleton was named a Companion of the Order of Canada at the end of nineteen eighty-six. Even in his middle age, he remained active in the sport, participating in Master Series races and earning a bronze medal at the Canadian Nationals for his age group in two thousand fourteen. His induction into the Canadian Cycling Hall of Fame in October two thousand fifteen, alongside his teammates from the seventies and eighties, further attests to his enduring impact on the sport.

Singleton's hometown of Niagara Falls, Ontario, celebrated his achievements multiple times throughout his life, including honoring him as their best athlete in its first one hundred years in two thousand four. After retiring from competitive cycling, he took over his father's automotive parts business in Niagara Falls. Tragically, in two thousand twenty-three, he was diagnosed with cancer and passed away from the disease in March two thousand twenty-four.