OCCUPATION
Hurdler/sprinter

CONTRIBUTION
Felicien rose to global prominence when she won the 100-metre hurdles at the 2003 World Championships, becoming Canada’s first female world gold medalist and, subsequently, Canada’s Female Athlete of the Year. After suffering from a fall in Athens in the finals of the 2006 Olympics, she rebounded with a silver medal in the 100-metre hurdles at the 2007 World Championships. However, Felicien faced a new challenge, a foot injury that would keep her out of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Persevering, dedicated and focussed, she still has her sights on London, England for the 2012 Olympiad.

INSPIRATION
“I think it still is just the curiosity to know how good I can be. Just to compare myself against the other hurdlers before me and what they’ve done and try and see how I stack up, when I’ve done all I can do and walk off the track.”

Watch Perdita win the gold medal in the women’s 100 metre hurdles 2003 World Championships here:

Originally published in Sway Magazine, Spring 2009

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