Two-time Olympic gold medal winner Tessa Virtue has won big again! In the fall of 2023, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame @cansportshall revealed that Tessa and her ice dance partner Scott Moir were part of their Class of 2023, winning the Order of Sport. This prestigious award is Canada’s highest sporting honour, and marks Tessa’s induction into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame!
About the Order of Sport
This national award recognizes Canadian athletes who have achieved the highest level of sporting accomplishment and go beyond, educating others on the transformative power of sport. Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame created the Order of Sport award to reflect the growing cultural significance of sport to Canadians. Among the other guests of honour this year were wheelchair basketball player Danielle Peers, softball player Phyllis Bomberry, Judo coach Hiroshi Nakamura, and MMA star Georges St. Pierre.
The Ceremony
The awards were presented live from the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, on October 19th. During the ceremony, Tessa and Scott took the time to thank their families and supporters, as well as each other. “He is the best in every way,” Tessa said about Scott. “More than that, he’s the kind of friend that always has the right thing to say. The kind of human who epitomizes generosity and kindness. And the kind of skating partner that builds you up to feel like you can conquer the world.” You can watch the coverage from CBC Sports here.
No Strangers to Success
Tessa is no stranger to awards. In fact, she’s also accumulated five Olympic medals, three World Championships, and eight Canadian National Championships. Tessa and Scott Moir were also honoured with the Order of Canada for their accomplishments in figure skating.
A Fantastic Year for Tessa
All in all, Tessa has been having a whirlwind 2023. Along with a lot of globetrotting (New York, Napa Valley, Montreal, and even Tuscany!) she also finished her schooling at the University of Pennsylvania earlier this year. She now holds a Masters of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, to go along with her MBA from the Smith School of Business.
Looking Forward
While we’re eagerly anticipating her next move, we’ve gathered some of our favourite footage of Tessa in the reel below:
To find out more about Tessa, and how she can elevate your next project, contact us!
Credit for the photos in this blog:
Image of Tessa and Scott from @CanSportsHall
Other Images of Tessa from Tessa’s Instagram @tessavirtue17
