Lawrence Lemieux
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Lemieux is a Canadian
sailor
, who competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in the Star Class and at the 1988 Summer Olympics
in the Finn class.
On September 24, 1988, the sailing
competition was underway at Pusan, 450 kilometers from South Korea
's capital of Seoul
, the main Olympic
site. It suddenly became very windy, escalating from 15 to 35 knots. In the 470 class
, Singapore
sailors Joseph Chan and Shaw Her Siew were thrown into the water. They were injured and unable to right their boat.
Lemieux was sailing alone near the halfway point in his race on the nearby Finn class race course. He was in second place in the fifth of a seven-race event. Upon seeing the capsized crew, Lemieux broke away and sailed to rescue them. After he rescued Chen and Her Siew, he waited for and transferred the two sailors onto an official patrol boat. He then finished 22nd in his race.
Soon after the race, the jury of the International Yacht Racing Union unanimously decided that Lemieux should be awarded second place, the position he was in when he went to the aid of the Singapore crew.
At the medal awards ceremony, Juan Antonio Samaranch
, President of the International Olympic Committee, awarded Lemieux the Pierre de Coubertin Medal
for Sportsmanship
. "By your sportsmanship, self-sacrifice and courage," said Samaranch, "you embody all that is right with the Olympic ideal."
Lemieux has since retired from professional sailing and is now a coach. He is currently living at Seba Beach, Alberta
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
sailor
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
, who competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in the Star Class and at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in the Finn class.
On September 24, 1988, the sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
competition was underway at Pusan, 450 kilometers from South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
's capital of Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, the main Olympic
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
site. It suddenly became very windy, escalating from 15 to 35 knots. In the 470 class
470 (dinghy)
The 470 is a double-handed monohull planing dinghy with a centreboard, Bermuda rig, and centre sheeting. The name is the overall length of the boat in centimetres . The hull is fibreglass with integral buoyancy tanks. The 470 is equipped with spinnaker and trapeze, making teamwork necessary to...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
sailors Joseph Chan and Shaw Her Siew were thrown into the water. They were injured and unable to right their boat.
Lemieux was sailing alone near the halfway point in his race on the nearby Finn class race course. He was in second place in the fifth of a seven-race event. Upon seeing the capsized crew, Lemieux broke away and sailed to rescue them. After he rescued Chen and Her Siew, he waited for and transferred the two sailors onto an official patrol boat. He then finished 22nd in his race.
Soon after the race, the jury of the International Yacht Racing Union unanimously decided that Lemieux should be awarded second place, the position he was in when he went to the aid of the Singapore crew.
At the medal awards ceremony, Juan Antonio Samaranch
Juan Antonio Samaranch
Don Juan Antonio Samaranch y Torelló, 1st Marquis of Samaranch, Grandee of Spain , known in Catalan as Joan Antoni Samaranch i Torelló , was a Catalan Spanish sports administrator who served as the seventh President of the International Olympic Committee from 1980 to 2001...
, President of the International Olympic Committee, awarded Lemieux the Pierre de Coubertin Medal
Pierre de Coubertin medal
The Pierre de Coubertin medal is a special medal given by the International Olympic Committee to those athletes who demonstrate the spirit of sportsmanship in Olympic events.The medal was inaugurated in 1964 and named in honour of Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the International Olympic...
for Sportsmanship
Sportsmanship
Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport or activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors...
. "By your sportsmanship, self-sacrifice and courage," said Samaranch, "you embody all that is right with the Olympic ideal."
Lemieux has since retired from professional sailing and is now a coach. He is currently living at Seba Beach, Alberta
Seba Beach, Alberta
Seba Beach is a summer village located west of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. The main employer to those within the village and surrounding area is the Sundance Generating Plant, a coal-fired power plant located on the south side of the lake, owned and operated by TransAlta Utilities.A large...
.