Media Release – March 7, 2023 – (Vancouver, B.C.) CHRISTINE SINCLAIR – SIMPLY THE BEST
The Best of BC Award, supported by the Province of British Columbia, is presented to an individual or team thought to have represented British Columbia, nationally or internationally, in either a professional or amateur sport.
When an international sport governing body recognizes an athlete as “The Best,” it should be no surprise when a provincial sport organization also chooses to honour that same individual as its “Best.”
So it is that Burnaby soccer legend Christine Sinclair will be presented with the Best of B.C. Award at the 55th B.C. Athlete of the Year Awards March 9 at the Vancouver Convention Centre East.
In January 2022 FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, presented Sinclair with the “The Best FIFA Special Award” as tribute to her becoming the game’s highest-scoring player in the history of international soccer. Sinclair, whose tally stood at 188 goals at the time of the award, called the honour “a once in a lifetime recognition.”
Since receiving the award Sinclair continued to increase her international goal cache, which now stands at 190 after a successful strike gained in Canada’s 6-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago in a July CONCACAF Women Championship match. Sinclair, a longtime captain of Canada’s national women’s team, also enjoyed success in 2022 with her pro club Portland Thorns, scoring five goals in the team’s campaign that culminated with the Thorns winning a third NWSL championship in October.
The Best of B.C. Award is presented annually to an individual or team deemed to have best represented B.C, in national or international competition, in a professional or amateur sport. Sinclair, 39, was also given the Best of B.C. Award in 2017 and recognized as the province’s top female athlete in 2002, 2005 and 2006. In August she was appointed to the Order of British Columbia.
Sinclair made her international debut in 2000 and has since accumulated 322 international caps, second only to the 354 held by American Kristine Lilley. Over her long and stellar career Sinclair has twice been named Canada’s Athlete of the Year, an Officer of the Order of Canada and a 14-time Canadian Soccer Player of the Year. She also led the Canadian women’s soccer team to Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020, adding to her collection of two Olympic bronze medals earned in 2012 and 2016.
Of the recognition Sinclair shares, “In addition to my Order of BC appointment, this ‘Best of BC’ Award is a tremendous honour to be recognized by my home province whom I so proudly represent on the world stage. I hope to continue to do this through my play on the pitch and through this deeply important equity battle I’m currently leading with my national teammates.”
“On behalf of the Board, Members, Sport BC staff team, and all British Columbians, I congratulate Christine Sinclair on being selected as this year’s Best of B.C. Award Recipient. Her commitment to the sport of soccer and her dedication to ensuring an equitable playing field for all is inspiring. We are all proud of her outstanding success and it is a pleasure to add yet another well-deserved award to her trophy case – Christine Sinclair is a generational athlete, and her legacy is deep and meaningful to our province,” shares Sport BC’s President and CEO, Rob Newman.
The B.C. Athlete of the Year Awards is a Sport BC annual event celebrating the accomplishments of the province’s best athletes, coaches, teams, and officials.