There are numerous adjectives which would have described Bob Boucher as he evolved into a world class athlete from St. James. Quiet, unassuming, dedicated, competitive, committed, and even goal-orientated long before setting goals became a buzz phrase. The last person who would ever have extolled his virtues on his way to becoming an Olympian was Boucher himself.

Boucher is enshrined in the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame today because of the manner in which he set out to succeed back in the late fifties and early sixties. While his peers were caught up in being typical teenagers, Boucher would be seen wheeling a bicycle on another training run, or carting a pair of long-bladed skates over his shoulder heading for yet another training session.

Boucher blazed the trail of success that many Manitoba speed skaters would later follow. His early achievements were a result of hard work and dedication.

How many world class athletes competed in both Winter and Summer Olympics in the same year in two different sports? Bob Boucher did, back in 1968, as a speed skater in Grenoble, France and a cyclist in Mexico City, Mexico. That was the pinnacle of his accomplishments. He was the first skater to finish the 500-metre event in under 40 seconds and led the Canadian Team in the Olympic style North American Speed Skating Championships. He was Canadian mass start outdoor champion, Canadian Olympic Style Champion, Canadian domestic national record holder, Canadian Winter Games Champion, and Manitoba Men’s Champion so many times they lost count.

Bob Boucher made sacrifices along the way, a basic ingredient to achieve such success. He had a will to succeed and a work ethic to assure he did so.