Nancy Jewitt-Filteau

Athlete (1995)

Judo

Nancy Jewitt-Filteau grew up in Webb, Saskatchewan, participating as a youth in curling, softball, track and field and horseback riding. When she was five, her dad signed up her brother for a judo class in Swift Current and Nancy got herself enrolled as well.

After early training in Swift Current and Regina, she moved to Saskatoon where she became a member of the University of Saskatchewan Judo Club and Saskatoon YMCA.

After winning the Cadet class at the Canadian championships, Nancy proved her ability by winning the Canadian Open three times - 1981, 1983 and 1984 - in the under-72 kilogram class.

She won a silver medal at the Pan-American Games in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1983 and won the United States Open against all comers in 1986 and 1987. She also competed in the Dutch Open, where she won a silver medal, and in Japan, the home of the sport. She also participated at the 1985 British Commonwealth Games where judo was a demonstration sport.

Nancy stayed active as a coach, official and administrator and then, at 32, decided to make a comeback. She won a silver medal in the United States Open in 1994, represented Canada at the 1995 Pan-American Games in Argentina and then, in September 1995, was 12th in the plus-72 kilogram weight class at the world championships.