Sharon Firth

Sharon Firth CM ONWT (born 31 December 1953) is a Canadian former cross-country skier who competed in the Winter Olympics in 1972, 1976, 1980 and 1984.[1] Firth's mother was Gwich'in and her father was Métis. She and her sister grew up in the Gwich'in First Nation.[2]

Sharon Firth
Country Canada
Born (1953-12-31) December 31, 1953
Aklavik, Northwest Territories, Canada
World Cup career
Seasons3 – (1982–1984)
Indiv. podiums0
Indiv. starts12
Team starts0
Overall titles0 – (29th in 1982)

She is the twin sister of fellow ski team member Shirley Firth. They became the first indigenous women to be inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.[3][4][5] Firth received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award in the sports category in 2005.[6] Sharon Firth also received the John Semmelink Memorial Award in 1972, the Commissioner’s Award in 1981, the Order of Canada in 1987, and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.[7] In 1990, Firth was inducted into the Canadian Ski Museum and Skiing Hall of Fame.[7] She was inducted into the NWT Sport Hall of Fame in 2012.[8]

From 1968 to 1985, Sharon and Shirley Firth were both members of Canada’s national cross-country team.[9] They were the first female Indigenous athletes to compete for Canada in the Winter Olympic Games.[10] The twins obtained a total of 79 medals at the national championships.[9]

Training

Sharon and Shirley Firth participated in the fledgling Territorial Experimental Ski Training (TEST) Program, established by Father Jean Marie Mouchet and funding from Pierre Trudeau's Federal Government in 1965.[11] The program began in Old Crow, Yukon, and eventually expanded to include Inuvik, run out of Groller Hall Residential School, where the sisters attended school.[12]

"They didn't have an easy upbringing and were very timid when they first came. Of all the skiers I had they were the most competitive and determined. In Inuvik we often skied at forty-five below zero; their lungs were used to cold weather." - Coach Bjorger Pettersen[13]

Life after skiing

Following Sharon Firth’s cross-country skiing career, she moved to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.[14] Firth worked for the government of the Northwest Territories and became a Youth Program Advisor.[14]

Honours

Firth was awarded an honorary doctorate of laws from the University of Alberta in 2017 with the help from Patrick Reid.[15] She was made a member of the Order of the Northwest Territories in 2018.[16] She was awarded the Member of the Order of Canada (CM) as per the Canada Gazette of 26 December 1987.[17]

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[18]

Olympic Games
 Year   Age   5 km   10 km   20 km   3/4 × 5 km 
 relay 
1972202624—10
1976242928—7
19802835———
198428292921—

World Championships
 Year   Age   5 km   10 km   20 km   4 × 5 km 
 relay 
198228——18—

Season standings
 Season   Age  Overall
19822829
19832935
19843045

References
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Sharon Firth". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  2. Maggs, Sam (2018). Girl Squads: 20 Female Friendships that Changed History. Philadelphia: Quirk Books. pp. 27, 31. ISBN 978-1-68369-072-6.
  3. "Canada's Sports Hall of Fame | Stories". www.sportshall.ca. Retrieved 2017-11-01.
  4. "First indigenous women inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame". As it happens. CBC Radio. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  5. "Canadian History and Society Through the Lens of Sport". February 2017.
  6. Andrews Miller, Heather. "Sharon Firth; Cross-country, then around the world". Aboriginal Multi-Media Society. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  7. "Indspire | Sharon Anne Firth". indspire.ca. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
  8. "Sharon Firth". NWT Sport Hall of Fame. 2012-01-01. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  9. "Sharon Firth - Canadian Ski Museum". www.skimuseum.ca. Canadian Ski Museum. Retrieved 2018-03-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  10. "Cross Country Canada - Sharon and Shirley Firth enter Canada's Sports Hall of Fame". www.cccski.com. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  11. "Shirley and Sharon Firth | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  12. Maggs, Sam (2018). Girl squads : 20 female friendships that changed history. Philadelphia: Quirk Books. p. 31. ISBN 978-1683690726. OCLC 1019636771.
  13. Maggs, Sam, author. (2 October 2018). Girl squads : 20 female friendships that changed history. p. 31. ISBN 978-1683690726. OCLC 1019636771. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. Marshall, Tabitha. "Shirley and Sharon Firth". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
  15. "U of A awards honorary doctorate to Canadian skiing legend". CBC News. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  16. https://www.assembly.gov.nt.ca/sites/default/files/images/onwt_2018_biographies.pdf
  17. Canada Gazette 26 December 1987
  18. "FIRTH Sharon". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
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