Sinclair wins 2012 Lou Marsh Trophy

Christine Sinclair has been named winner of the 2012 Lou Marsh Memorial Trophy, an honour awarded annually to the “Canadian athlete of the year as chosen by a panel of sports journalists from across the country.” Sinclair wins the award on the heels of her best season in women’s soccer, a season that included a national-record 23 goals, a CONCACAF silver medal at home in Vancouver, an Olympic tournament-record six goals including a legendary hat trick against rival USA, and an unforgettable bronze medal victory to close out the London 2012 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament.

Sinclair is the 21st female athlete to win the award, albeit the first from a team sport (summer or winter) to do so. The Lou Marsh Memorial Trophy has been awarded annually since 1936, with Sinclair also the first soccer player to win the award. The trophy is named in honour of former athlete and official Lou Marsh, who also spent 43 years as a writer for The Toronto Star.

“The Canadian Soccer Association would like to congratulate Christine Sinclair on winning the Lou Marsh Memorial Trophy,” said Peter Montopoli, General Secretary of the Canadian Soccer Association. “She has been a guiding light for our sport for more than a decade, so it is truly fitting that in our centennial year she is recognized for shining so brightly on the world’s sporting stage. While 2012 may have been Christine’s greatest year to date, we are certain that Christine may reach even greater heights en route to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015.”

Sinclair set a national record with 23 goals in 22 matches in 2012, seven more than her previous record in 2007. With those 23 goals plus six assists, she was directly involved in nearly 66% of Canada’s 44 goals. She earned Player of the Match honours five times, including the night she scored a memorable hat trick night at Old Trafford in Manchester at the London 2012 Olympics. She won Canada Soccer Player of the Month honours in May and August.

Her six goals at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament set a tournament record, surpassing the previous record of five scored by Cristiane (2004, 2008) and Birgit Prinz (2004). As for Canada’s bronze-medal victory at London 2012, it marked the first Canadian medal in a summer team sport since Berlin 1936.

Also this year, Sinclair has also been recognized as the Yahoo! Canada Buzziest Canadian of the Year, the CBCSports.ca Canada’s Athlete of the Year, and the inaugural Air Canada Athlete of the Year. In August, she was a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.