France Gareau

France Gareau took up running in 1981 and achieved perhaps her greatest success in athletics when, at the age of 17, she won a silver medal in the 4x100 metre relay at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, alongside Angela Bailey, Marita Payne Wiggins, and Angella Taylor-Issajenko, while also being eliminated in the quarterfinals of the 100 metres event. In 1986 she entered York University and remained there until 1991, capturing collegiate-level honors, including the institution’s Athlete of the Year distinction in 1988, en route to earning a degree in French studies. She competed in numerous international events through 1995, including the 1986 Commonwealth Games and the 1987 and 1991 World Championships, and was Canadian champion in the 100 m in 1989. Among her other international medals were silver in the 4x100 metre relay and the 4x400 metre relay at the 1989 and 1994 Francophone Games respectively, and bronze in the 4x400 metre relay at the 1990 Commonwealth Games (with Rosey Edeh and the non-Olympians Cheryl Allen and Gail Harris).

Following her retirement from active competition, she pursued an education degree and began teaching French at Havergal College in Toronto. She married Sean Foudy, a national level high hurdler and former football player for the Ottawa Rough Riders and the BC Lions, where he won the 1994 Grey Cup in the Canadian Football League. Her sons Liam and Jean-Luc both became Ontario high school hurdle champions and record holders, and ice hockey players. Liam played for the London Knights and was drafted 18th in the first round by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2018 National Hockey League (NHL) draft and won a gold medal for Canada at the 2020 World Junior Hockey Championships in Czech Republic. Jean-Luc played for the Windsor Spitfires and entered the 2020 NHL draft.

Gareau was made a member of the York University Hall of Fame in 2002.

Personal Best: 100 – 11.57 (1985).