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Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Object ID |
2025.1.71 |
Object Name |
Video Recording |
Title |
Class of 2007 Daniel Igali Acceptance Speech |
Scope & Content |
Length: 6:32 The 2007 Canada's Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was held at the Royal York Hotel and Convention Centre. Summary: Daniel Igali used his induction into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame as a moment to both celebrate and reflect. He began by officially announcing his retirement from competitive wrestling, sharing how he had wrestled with the idea for three years. Drawing on memories from his youth in Nigeria, he recalled his grandmother’s wisdom that "dreams should come a size too big so we can fit into them," his early training struggles, and the culture shock upon arriving in Canada. Igali spoke of discovering that no Canadian wrestler had ever won Olympic gold and his journey to overcoming the fear of winning. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to the many people and organizations who shaped his career—coaches, teammates, sponsors, friends, and supporters, as well as those involved in his charitable work. He praised Canada for giving children of all backgrounds the opportunity to dream and achieve, describing his own success as proof of the Canadian dream in action. Concluding, Igali dedicated the honour to his homeland, his adopted country, and to the ongoing mission of his foundation to bring hope to others. Humbled and moved, he thanked Canada for taking a chance on "an African kid’s dream." |
Date |
2007/10/25 |
Year Range from |
2007 |
Year Range to |
2007 |
People |
Igali, Daniel |
Search Terms |
2007 induction Order of Sport Award acceptance speech athlete wrestling World Wrestling Championships Winnipeg 1999 Pan American Games Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games Athens 2004 Olympic Games Lou Marsh Trophy Northern Star Award Mental Resilience and Perserverance Inclusion Daniel Igali |