Kathleen Heddle

Canadian Olympic rower (1965–2021)

Kathleen Joan Heddle, (November 27, 1965January 11, 2021) was a Canadian Olympic rower. She and her long time rowing partner Marnie McBean were the first Canadians to be awarded three Olympic gold medals at the Summer Games. They also won a silver in double sculls at the 1994 World Championships.

Heddle was born in Trail, British Columbia, on November 27, 1965. Her father, Duncan, worked as a mining engineer; her mother, Marilyn (Buchanan), was a registered dietitian and housewife. Heddle had two sisters (Libby and Peggy) and one brother (Murray). The family moved to the Kitsilano neighbourhood of Vancouver when she was eight months old, and she graduated from Kitsilano Secondary School. Heddle went on to study psychology at the University of British Columbia (UBC), obtaining a bachelor's degree in 1990. Although she initially played volleyball and intended to make the varsity team, her interest in rowing was piqued when she passed by the team's booth while registering for courses during her junior year at the War Memorial Gymnasium. She was selected in large part due to her height and rowed with the team for two years. McBean was initially doubtful of their partnership, with her outgoing personality contrasting with Heddle's introversion. McBean interpreted this as a lack of ambition and competitiveness, and even went as far as to request a new partner. Their coach responded, "You do realize that Kathleen is the best rower on the team, and she's even better than you, Marnie".

Heddle was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1994. inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, She was also conferred the Thomas Keller Medal by FISA, the International Rowing Federation, for her outstanding career in international rowing in 1999. Heddle was enshrined into the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. She was subsequently granted an honorary doctorate of letters by UBC (her alma mater) in November 2004.

After retiring, Heddle moved to Kerrisdale in Vancouver. She married Mike Bryden in October 2000. They had two children, one of whom also studied at UBC and joined its rowing team. Heddle died on January 11, 2021, at her home in Vancouver. She was 55, and had breast cancer and lymphoma followed by melanoma and brain cancer in the six years preceding her death.