Former Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve was inducted in the Canadian Pantheon of sports Wednesday night, in Calgary.
“It is a real honour for me and it makes me very proud, especially since Gilles is already there,” said Villeneuve, referring to his father, the late Gilles Villeneuve.
“It’s definitely very special. I maybe didn’t get it before, but now that I am a father myself, I can see what Gilles must have been seeing.”
“To have kids and become a little less active in motorsport has make me realize the extend of what I have accomplished in my career. I have always been proud to represent Canada as an athlete and it is very special to see the respect people have for what I have done,” Villeneuve added.
Villeneuve is the third driver besides Mario Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi to have clinched the IndyCar championship, a victory at the Indy 500 and the Formula 1 Championship in their career.
Also inducted yesterday were hockey player Patrick Roy, paralympics multi-gold-medalist Chantal Peticlerc, acrobatic skier Jean-Luc Brassard, speed skater Clara Hughes, gymnast Kyle Shewfel and builders Roger Jackson and Bob Ackles.
Those eight personalities add to the 506 persons already inducted in the Canadian Pantheon of sports, one thing that was considered a great honour for them all.
“It is a real honour for me and it makes me very proud, especially since Gilles is already there,” said Villeneuve, referring to his father, the late Gilles Villeneuve.
“It’s definitely very special. I maybe didn’t get it before, but now that I am a father myself, I can see what Gilles must have been seeing.”
“To have kids and become a little less active in motorsport has make me realize the extend of what I have accomplished in my career. I have always been proud to represent Canada as an athlete and it is very special to see the respect people have for what I have done,” Villeneuve added.
Villeneuve is the third driver besides Mario Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi to have clinched the IndyCar championship, a victory at the Indy 500 and the Formula 1 Championship in their career.
Also inducted yesterday were hockey player Patrick Roy, paralympics multi-gold-medalist Chantal Peticlerc, acrobatic skier Jean-Luc Brassard, speed skater Clara Hughes, gymnast Kyle Shewfel and builders Roger Jackson and Bob Ackles.
Those eight personalities add to the 506 persons already inducted in the Canadian Pantheon of sports, one thing that was considered a great honour for them all.