Walter Ignace d'Hondt (born September 11, 1936 in Richmond, Surrey, England) was a Canadian

rower Rowing, sometimes called crew in the United States, is the sport of racing boats using oars. It differs from paddling sports in that rowing oars are attached to the boat using oarlocks, while paddles are not connected to the boat. Rowing is ...

and Olympic champion.

Personal life

He is the brother of

Miss Canada Miss Canada is a beauty pageant for young women in Canada. It was founded in Hamilton in 1946. No title was awarded from 1993 through 2008. The trademark was purchased in 2009 by a Québec organization who produces the pageant under the name to ...

1959, Danica d'Hondt, who is a Canadian-American-British actress, restaurateur, and author. He is the father of women's basketball player Gillian D'Hondt and the uncle of film actress, America Olivo. He was educated at

The John Fisher School The John Fisher School is a Roman Catholic voluntary-aided boys' faith school based at Peaks Hill, Purley, Croydon, Surrey, England. The school is located in and funded by the London Borough of Sutton. It occupies the former site of the 19th- ...

in Surrey.

Career

He received a gold medal in ''coxless fours'' at the 1956 Summer Olympics in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

, together with

Archibald MacKinnon Archibald MacKinnon (born January 13, 1937 in Cranbrook, British Columbia) is a Canadian competition rower and Olympic champion. He received a gold medal in ''coxless fours'' at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, together with Lo ...

Lorne Loomer Lorne Kenneth Loomer (March 11, 1937January 1, 2017) was a Canadian competition rower and Olympic champion. He received a gold medal in ''coxless fours'' at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, together with Archibald MacKinnon, Walter D'Ho ...

and

Donald Arnold Donald John Arnold (July 14, 1935 – June 27, 2021) was a Canadian competition rower and Olympic champion. He was born in Kelowna, British Columbia. He received a gold medal in ''coxless fours'' at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbour ...

."1956 Summer Olympics – Melbourne, Australia – Rowing"
(Retrieved on May 14, 2008) At the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, D'Hondt received a gold medal in ''eights'', and a silver medal in ''coxed fours''. He received a silver medal in ''eights'' at the

1960 Summer Olympics The 1960 Summer Olympics ( it, Giochi Olimpici estivi del 1960), officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad ( it, Giochi della XVII Olimpiade) and commonly known as Rome 1960 ( it, Roma 1960), were an international multi-sport event held ...

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, as a member of the Canadian team."1960 Summer Olympics – Rome, Italy – Rowing"
(Retrieved on May 14, 2008)

Awards

D'Hondt was inducted into the

Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame The Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame is an honour roll of the top Canadian Olympic athletes, teams, coaches, and builders (officials, administrators, and volunteers). It was established in 1949. Selections are made by a committee appointed by the Cana ...

in 1958. He was inducted into ''British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame'' in 1966, and into ''University of British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame'' in 1993, together with the other members of the Olympic gold team."1956 UBC Four Oared Rowing Crew"
– ''University of British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame'' (Retrieved on May 14, 2008)

References

External links

* 1936 births Living people Canadian male rowers Olympic rowers for Canada Olympic gold medalists for Canada Olympic silver medalists for Canada Sportspeople from Richmond, London Rowers from Greater London Rowers at the 1956 Summer Olympics Rowers at the 1960 Summer Olympics Rowers at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Canada Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Canada Olympic medalists in rowing Medalists at the 1956 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1960 Summer Olympics University of British Columbia alumni Commonwealth Games medallists in rowing Pan American Games medalists in rowing Pan American Games silver medalists for Canada Rowers at the 1959 Pan American Games 20th-century Canadian people 21st-century Canadian people Medallists at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games People educated at The John Fisher School {{Canada-rowing-bio-stub