Kathleen Joan Heddle, is a Canadian rower

Sport rowing

Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...

. Heddle and her long-time rowing partner Marnie McBean

Marnie McBean

Marnie Elizabeth McBean is a Canadian rower.McBean competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in the coxless pairs and eights events, winning gold medals in both. At the 1996 Summer Olympics she competed in the double and quadruple sculls, winning gold in the double and bronze in the quadruple...

 were the first Canadians to win three Olympic Gold medals.

In 1997, Heddle was awarded the Order of British Columbia

Order of British Columbia

The Order of British Columbia is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Bill Vander Zalm, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour...

 and was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. Heddle also was awarded the Thomas Keller Medal

Thomas Keller Medal

The Thomas Keller Medal is given by the International Rowing Federation for an outstanding international career in the sport of rowing. It is the highest honor in rowing and is awarded to any athlete within five years of his/her retirement from the sport...

 by FISA, the International Rowing Federation, for her outstanding career in international rowing.