Lesley Thompson

Lesley Allison Thompson-Willie, born on September 20, 1959, is a Canadian rowing coxswain and Olympic champion. She is known for her incredible dedication to the sport over many years.

Between 1984 and 2016, she competed in eight Olympic Games, which is a record for a rower. Her amazing achievements include winning medals in five of those games. One of her greatest moments was winning a gold medal in the eight at the 1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona.

Lesley’s long and successful career shows her love for rowing and her strength as an athlete. She is an inspiration to many, especially young people who dream of competing in the Olympics.

Career

Lesley Thompson-Willie is a Canadian rowing coxswain who has competed in many Olympic Games. She first competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and won a silver medal. She went on to win medals at several more Olympics, including a gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

Lesley has competed in eight Olympic Games, which is a record for rowers. She also won medals at the World Championships and was elected to the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1994. Even after retiring once, she came back to compete in the 2008 Olympics and later at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Outside rowing

Lesley Thompson-Willie studied at the University of Western Ontario. She worked as a teacher at South Secondary School in London, Ontario until she retired in 2018. She married Dr. Paul Willie in 2000 but kept competing as Lesley Thompson at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Her husband teaches accounting, finance, and hotel management at Niagara College.