Athlete file · No. 001
HUYNH
CAROL
- Born
- 1980
- Hometown
- Hazelton
- Province
- BC
- Weight
- 48kg
- Style
- freestyle
- Status
- OLYMPIAN
Results
Record
| Year | Event | Weight | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Jeux olympiques de Pékin | 48kg | Or |
| 2012 | Jeux olympiques de Londres | 48kg | Bronze |
| 2010 | Jeux du Commonwealth | 48kg | Or |
Biography
Carol Huynh accomplished the historic feat of becoming the first Canadian woman to win Olympic wrestling gold. Born November 16, 1980 in Hazelton, British Columbia, she is the daughter of Vietnamese refugee parents. Huynh emerged as a world-class athlete in the early 2000s, training at the prestigious Burnaby Mountain Wrestling Club under Mike Jones.
Her breakthrough came in August 2008 in Beijing, where she won gold at 48 kg freestyle, defeating reigning world champion Chiharu Icho (Japan) 4-0 in the semi-final and 2-1 in the final. The completely unexpected victory made Huynh the first Canadian gold medallist of the 2008 Games. She confirmed her world-class status at London 2012 with a bronze medal.
Her résumé is remarkable: eleven-time national champion (2000–2002, 2004–2011), two-time Pan American Games champion (Rio 2007, Guadalajara 2011), Commonwealth Games champion 2010, and four-time World Championships medallist. Inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2013. After retiring from competition, Huynh settled in Calgary.