The memories of my podium at the Los Angeles Olympic Games are still very vivid in my mind!
Radio Canada :
La grande leçon de la médaillée olympique Sylvie Bernier, 40 ans plus tard
Education has always been important to Sylvie Bernier, and she readily shares this vision with young athletes. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master’s degree from McGill University. She keeps up to date on everything related to overall health.
Yoga teacher training – Naïa (300 hours)
Master’s at McGill University: IMHL (International Master for Health Leadership) / Health promotion and prevention
– Bachelor of Business Administration, TELUQ
– Certificate in administration, UQAM
– Certificate in marketing, UQAM
– College diploma in health sciences, Collège André-Grasset
Recipient of an honorary doctorate from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Recipient of the Ordre de Montréal
Recipient of the Médaille d’honneur de l’Assemblée nationale
Recipient of the Hommage à Jacques-Beauchamp award for Volunteer of the Year, Gala Sports Québec
Member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame (USA)
* The first Canadian diver to receive this honour
Member of the Panthéon des sports du Québec (Quebec Sports Hall of Fame)
Member of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame
Member of the Ordre national du Québec
Female Athlete of the Year by the Canadian Press
Member of the Order of Canada
Born on January 31, 1964, in Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Sylvie Bernier loves the outdoors and does many sports, including cross-country skiing, hiking, swimming and cycling. The mother of three daughters and a grandmother, Sylvie Bernier is without a doubt an inspiration for the generation that watched her win gold in diving and for the next generations, whom she wants to see grow up healthy and to teach them.
Sylvie Bernier’s name is well known in the world of sports in Quebec and Canada. She is the first Quebec woman to win Olympic gold in any sport and the first female Canadian to win gold in diving at the Olympic Games. She is still the only one to this day! Sylvie was the first Olympic medallist to become chef de mission in 2008 for the Canadian delegation, and she attended 11 Olympic Games as a commentator, chef de mission or assistant chef de mission from 1984 to 2016. She has made a remarkable contribution as a volunteer to the Canadian Olympic movement.
Gold medal in diving, 3-metre springboard, Los Angeles Olympic Games
First gold medal won by a Quebec woman
First gold medal for Canada in this event. Still the only one to this day.
21 podiums internationally
Commentator on the show Au cœur de Rio 2016, on Radio-Canada Première
Assistant chef de mission for the Canadian delegation, London Olympic Games (UK)
Chef de mission for the Canadian delegation, Beijing Olympic Games (China)
Assistant chef de mission for the Canadian delegation, Turin Olympic Games (Italy)
Member of the board of directors, Canadian Olympic Association
Media contributions: radio, TV and print media interviews and commentating
Chair, Table québécoise pour la saine alimentation (TQSA)
The TQSA brings together governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to help promote, adopt and maintain healthy eating by Quebecers.
Honorary spokesperson, Swim to Survive program, by the Lifesaving Society and helped to establish the Fonds Raphaël Bernier.
Chair, Table sur un mode de vie physiquement actif (TMVPA)
The TMVPA mobilizes governmental and non-governmental organizations that contribute to a physically active lifestyle among the population to ensure collaborative and consistent actions.
“All of my contributions over the past 40 years have aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle. This cause is close to my heart, and I work toward it every day with the same passion.”
She works on promoting health through prevention, playing an influential role with the general public, decision makers and in businesses.
Since 1984, she has given hundreds of presentations across the country, in English and French, on health and well-being.
Healthy lifestyle ambassador, Québec en Forme
Author of the book The Day I Couldn’t Dive (also available in French, published by Fides) and the documentary Le jour où je n’ai pas pu plonger on Ici Radio Canada, which you can watch on Tout.tv.
Member of the Executive Advisory Council, Québec Financial Services, Investors Group
Spokesperson, founder and board member, Fondation de l’athlète d’excellence du Québec (Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence)
Administrator, Société Les Services Investors
Member of the board of directors, Investors Group Trust Company (Winnipeg)
Workshop facilitator (with a physician) to help parents of children with asthma to better handle their child’s condition
Appointed as a member of the Fitness and Amateur Sport Advisory Committee, Government of Canada
Appointed as a youth representative, International Year of Youth, Government of Canada
Podcast host: La force de l’âge for Lucilab
Health commentator, Gravel le matin, ICI Radio-Canada Première
Host, Planifiez pour mieux vivre (VOX, now MAtv), a show on financial planning
Commentator on family health on the morning show Salut Bonjour! (TVA)
Host, Fort Boyard (TVA)
Host, Qui Vive (TVA)
Host, Cerebral palsy telethon (TVA)