Chantal Benoit
Biography
Benoit was introduced to wheelchair basketball by a group of friends who invited her to a demonstration game at the Jeux du Québec. A year later, she joined a local wheelchair basketball team.
Benoit made the National Team in 1984, merely a year after she started playing the sport. She was a veteran member of Team Canada for more than two decades, including the club’s dynasty years in the 1990’s. She has been labelled the Michael Jordan of women’s wheelchair basketball and is quite possibly the greatest woman to have ever played the game.
She has competed at seven Paralympic Games and owns four Paralympic medals in her athletic portfolio: gold from the Barcelona Paralympic Games in 1992, gold from the Atlanta Paralympic Games in 1996, gold from the Sydney Paralympic Games in 2000, and a bronze from the Athens Paralympic Games in 2004.
She attributes her success in wheelchair basketball to her passion for the sport and her persistent need to improve every time she gets on the court. Before a big game, she relaxes by striking up conversations with people she doesn’t know.
In 2000, she received the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation’s highest honour, the Gold Medal Triad Award, which is presented to an individual who has contributed in an outstanding manner to the growth of wheelchair basketball both on national and international level.
Interesting Facts
- Benoit has competed in the most Paralympic Games by a Canadian wheelchair basketball athlete with seven appearances (tied with Tracey Ferguson)
- Her personal motto is “Be in love with what you do.”
- Her nickname is “Neuf”
Awards / Highlights
- Appointed to the Order of Canada in 2018
- 2009 Wheelchair Basketball Canada Female Athlete of the Year
- Opening ceremony flag-bearer for Canada at 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens
- Received the IWBF’s Gold Medal Triad Award for outstanding contributions to the growth of wheelchair basketball on a national & international level in 2000
- Named Team Athlete of the Year in 2000 & Teammate of the Year in 1993 & 1996 at the Gala Sports Québec
- Named MVP at 1998 World Championships
Major International Competition
| Tournament |  |
 |
 |
Other |
| Paralympic Games: 7 | 3 (’92, ’96, ’00) | 0 | 1 (’04) | 4th (’84, ’88), 5th (’08) |
| World Championships: 6 | 4 (’94, ’98, ’02, ’06) | 0 | 2 (’90, ’10) | – |
Statistics
Paralympic Games
*As of 1992
| Year | GP | Min | M/G | Field Goals | 3Pts | Free Throws | Rebounds | AS | TO | ST | BS | PF | FO | PTS | P/G | |||||
| M/A | % | M/A | % | M/A | % | OR | DR | TOT | ||||||||||||
| 2008 | 7 | 143 | 20:24 | 25/60 | 42 | 0/3 | 0 | 9/31 | 29 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 23 | 59 | 8.4 |
| 2004 | 6 | 139 | 23:06 | 24/54 | 44 | 0/1 | 0 | 8/16 | 50 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 20 | 56 | 9.3 |
| 2000 | 5 | 120 | 24:05 | 22/48 | 45 | 1/7 | 14 | 6/21 | 29 | 13 | 9 | 22 | 10 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 5 | – | 51 | 10.2 |
| 1996 | 5 | 133 | 26:36 | 25/58 | 43 | 0/1 | 0 | 12/35 | 34 | 9 | 28 | 37 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 7 | – | 62 | 12.4 |
| 1992 | 5 | 129 | 25:50 | 27/64 | 42 | 0/0 | – | 3/14 | 21 | 9 | 26 | 35 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 0 | 14 | – | 57 | 11.4 |
| TOTAL | 28 | 664 | 23:43 | 123/306 | 40 | 1/12 | 8 | 38/117 | 33 | 50 | 85 | 135 | 66 | 61 | 49 | 0 | 40 | 43 | 285 | 10.2 |
World Championships
*As of 1994
| Year | GP | Min | M/G | Field Goals | 3 Pts | Free Throws | Rebounds | AS | TO | ST | BS | PF | FO | PTS | P/G | |||||
| M/A | % | M/A | % | M/A | % | OR | DR | TOT | ||||||||||||
| 2010 | 7 | 145 | 20:44 | 24/55 | 44 | 0/1 | 0 | 4/20 | 20 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 21 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 24 | 53 | 7.4 |
| 2006 | 6 | 175 | 29:13 | 36/81 | 44 | 0/0 | – | 11/35 | 31 | 8 | 23 | 31 | 14 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 5 | – | 83 | 13.8 |
| 2002 | 5 | 136 | 27:18 | 28/60 | 47 | 0/2 | 0 | 7/29 | 24 | 18 | 17 | 35 | 15 | 19 | 12 | 0 | 8 | – | 63 | 12.6 |
| 1998 | 5 | 132 | 26:20 | 29/51 | 57 | 1/2 | 50 | 6/21 | 29 | 14 | 12 | 26 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 5 | – | 65 | 13.0 |
| 1994 | 4 | 104 | 25:52 | 22/64 | 34 | 0/2 | 0 | 3/7 | 43 | 7 | 19 | 26 | 20 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | – | 47 | 11.8 |
| TOTAL | 27 | 692 | 25:38 | 139/311 | 45 | 1/7 | 14 | 31/112 | 28 | 59 | 84 | 143 | 83 | 47 | 39 | 2 | 34 | 24 | 310 | 11.5 |
Legend: GP = Games Played; Min = Minutes; M/G = Minutes per Game; M/A = Made / Attempted; OR = Offensive Rebounds; DR = Defensive Rebounds; TOT = Total; AS = Assists; TO = Turn Overs; ST = Steals; BS = Blocked Shots;PF = Personal Foul; FO = Foul On; PTS = Points; P/G = Points per Game
Competitive Experience
| Level | Team | Location | Year(s) |
| International | Canada (SWNT) | Canada | 1984-2011 |
| Club (domestic) | Quebec | Quebec | – |
| Club (domestic) | Vaughan City Lashers | Ontario | 2011-Present |
| Club (domestic) | C.I.V.A. de Montreal | Quebec | – |
| Club (domestic) | Los Angeles Sparks | California | 2001-2003 |
| Club (domestic) | Ottawa Shooters | Ontario | 1993-1996 |
| Club (domestic) | Ottawa Jazz | Ontario | – |
Career Notes
2011: 4th place at Paralympic World Cup in Manchester, UK (Team Canada)… 5th place at International Tournament of Champions in Charlotte, USA (Team Canada)… 1st place at Women’s CWBL National Championships with Team Quebec in Longueuil, QC (domestic)…
2010: 3rd place at World Championships in Birmingham, UK (Team Canada)… 1st place at Paralympic World Cup in Manchester, UK (Team Canada)… 3rd place at Osaka Cup in Osaka, Japan (Team Canada)… 3rd place at 4 Nations Tournament in Berlin, Germany (Team Canada)… competed at North American Cup in Birmingham, USA (Team Canada)… 3rd place at Women’s CWBL National Championships with Team Quebec in Saskatoon, SK (domestic)…
2009: 3rd place at Osaka Cup in Osaka, Japan (Team Canada)… 4th place at Ottawa Invitational Tournament in Ottawa, ON (Team Canada)… 4th place at CWBL Open Finals with C.I.V.A. de Montreal & named All-Star in Halifax, NS (domestic)… 5th at National Championships with Team Quebec (Women) in Montreal, QC (domestic)…
2008: 5th place at Paralympic Games in Beijing, China (Team Canada)… 1st place at Good Luck Beijing Invitational Tournament in Beijing, China (Team Canada)… 3rd place at North American Cup in Birmingham, USA (Team Canada)… 2nd place at Women’s National Championships with Team Quebec & named All-Star in Vancouver, BC (domestic)… 5th place at CWBL Open Finals with C.I.V.A. de Montreal & named All-Star in Regina, SK (domestic)…
2007: 2nd place at Parapan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Team Canada)… 3rd place at 4 Nations Tournament in Sydney, Australia (Team Canada)… 1st place at Osaka Cup & named All-Star in Osaka, Japan (Team Canada)… 4th place at Women’s CWBL National Championships with Team Quebec & named All-Star in Winnipeg, MB (domestic)…
2006: 1st place at World Championships & named All-Star in Amsterdam (Team Canada)… 3rd place at Roosevelt Cup in Warm Springs, USA (Team Canada)… 2nd place at CWBL Open Finals with C.I.V.A. de Montreal & named All-Star in Fredericton, NB (domestic)… 5th place at Women’s CWBL National Championships with Team Quebec & named All-Star in Kitchener, ON (domestic)…
2005: 2nd place at Americas Cup in Colorado Springs, USA (Team Canada)…
2004: 3rd place at Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece (Team Canada)… 2nd place at North American Cup in Birmingham, USA (Team Canada)… 2nd place at Roosevelt Cup in USA (Team Canada)… 4th place at Women’s CWBL National Championships with Ottawa Jazz & named MVP in Vancouver, BC (domestic)…
2003: 1st place at Parapan American Games in Mar del Plata, Argentina (Team Canada)… 2nd place at National Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Tournament (NWWBT) with the L.A. Sparks & named MVP in Warm Springs, USA (domestic)… 3rd place at Women’s CWBL National Championships with Ottawa Jazz in Toronto, ON (domestic)…
2002: 1st place at World Championships in Kitakyushu, Japan (Team Canada)… 2nd place at Americas Cup & named All-Star in Vitória, Brazil (Team Canada)… 2nd place at National Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Tournament (NWWBT) with the L.A. Sparks in Gainesville, USA (domestic)…
2001: 1st place at National Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Tournament (NWWBT) with the L.A. Sparks & named MVP in Gainesville, USA (domestic)… 1st place at Women’s CWBL National Championships with Ottawa Jazz in Toronto, ON (domestic)…
2000: 1st place at Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia (Team Canada)… 2nd place at Roosevelt Cup in Warm Springs, USA (Team Canada)… 2nd place at Women’s CWBL National Championships with Ottawa Jazz & named All-Star in Edmonton, AB (domestic)…
1999: 1st place at Parapan American Games in Mexico City, Mexico (Team Canada)… 2nd place at Women’s CWBL National Championships with Ottawa Jazz & named All-Star in Calgary, AB (domestic)…
1998: 1st place at World Championships & named MVP in Sydney, Australia (Team Canada)… 1st place at Americas Cup in Winnipeg, MB (Team Canada)… 1st place at Women’s CWBL National Championships with Ottawa Jazz & named All-Star in Winnipeg, MB (domestic)…
1996: 1st place at Paralympic Games in Atlanta, USA (Team Canada)… 3rd place at CWBL Open Finals with Ottawa Shooters in Saint John, NB (domestic)…
1995: 1st place at CWBL Open Finals with Ottawa Shooters in Ottawa, ON (domestic)… 1st place at Women’s CWBL National Championships with Ottawa Jazz & named MVP in Saskatoon, SK (domestic)…
1994: 1st place at World Championships in Stoke Mandeville, UK (Team Canada)…
1993: 3rd place at CWBL Open Finals with Ottawa Shooters & named All-Star in Winnipeg, MB (domestic)… 2nd place at Women’s CWBL National Championships with Ottawa Jazz & named All-Star in Edmonton, AB (domestic)…
1992: 1st place at Paralympic Games in Barcelona, Spain (Team Canada)… 1st place at Women’s CWBL National Championships with Ottawa Jazz & named MVP in Ottawa, ON (domestic)…
1991: 1st place at World Wheelchair Games in Stoke Mandeville, UK (Team Canada)…
1990: 3rd place at World Championships in Saint-Etienne, France (Team Canada)…
1988: 4th place at Paralympic Games in Seoul, South Korea (Team Canada)…
1986: 2nd place at Pan American Wheelchair Games in Puerto Rico (Team Canada)…
1984: 4th place at Paralympic Games in Stoke Mandeville, UK (Team Canada)…