Fiona Cribb

Athlete (2019)

Triathlon

Fiona Cribb was a swimmer with the Saskatoon Goldfins under Saskatoon Hall of Fame coach Harry Bailey. She represented Saskatchewan as a swimmer at the Jeux Canada Games in 1973. She ran cross-country in high school and for the University of Saskatchewan. Triathlon was just a bike ride away.

After her first triathlon, she was hooked. As her cycling improved, representing Canada began to look possible. In 1991, she made the team with a surprise second place at Nationals behind the defending world champion and went to her first world championships on the Australian Gold Coast (at the 1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run distance). She also raced the Hawaii Ironman (3.8K swim, 180K bike, 42.2K run) two week later. That year, she was named Sask Sport's female athlete of the year.

Over the next few years, Cribb pursued World Cup races, as much as her job would allow. She competed in Chicago and Las Vegas, Mexico and Japan. She went to the Goodwill Games in Russia and to world championships in Muskoka, New Zealand, Tasmania and England.

Cribb's highest finish at a World Championship was a seventh place at the Worlds in Muskoka, Canada, 1992. “She was Saskatchewan's first international star in triathlon”, said national team coach Barrie Shepley.

Fiona Cribb's crowning achievement came in 1995, at the Pan Am Games in Argentina when triathlon made its Games debut. Competing on her 36th birthday, she won bronze in the individual event. She joined Kirstie Otto and Lisa Bentley in winning gold in the team event.

Cribb served several years on the Saskatchewan triathlon board and on the Board of Triathlon Canada, including on an Olympic selection committee. She was also an athlete representative on the International Triathlon Union's Women's Commission. In 2001, Triathlon Canada presented her with its Significant Contributor award.