| It's a myth that muscles, strength and endurance | | | | event. She attributes her success to hard work and a |
| require the consumption of large quantities of | | | | vegetarian diet. |
| animal-based foods. This myth began before anyone | | | | 7. Murray Rose, a vegetarian since birth, has six |
| even talked about protein. During the Olympics, it's a | | | | Olympic medals. He was born in 1939 in Nairn, |
| good time to take a look at some amazing athletes | | | | Scotland, but he moved to Australia with his family at |
| who are champions and vegetarians: | | | | an early age. He was an Olympic champion at age |
| | | | seventeen. He was known for his vegetarianism |
| 1. Charlene Wong is a champion figure skater who | | | | during his career, earning him the nickname, "The |
| represented Canada in the 1988 Calgary Olympics. | | | | Seaweed Streak." He competed in the Olympics from |
| She began competing at the age of 6 and in 1980 | | | | 1956 through 1960, winning six medals. |
| was named to the Canadian Team and represented | | | | 8. Al Oerter, discus thrower, won four Olympic gold |
| Canada in the Junior World Championships. She was | | | | medals for the US - in 1956, 1960, 1964. He was also |
| highlighted in The Vegetarian Sports Nutrition Guide | | | | an abstract painter. |
| by Lisa Dorfman. | | | | 9. Edwin Moses, hurdler for the US, is a gold medalist |
| 2. Paavo Nurmi, a Finnish runner, was a vegetarian | | | | who went eight years without losing the 400-meter |
| since the age of 12. He is often considered the | | | | hurdle. Over his career, he won two Olympic gold |
| greatest track and field athlete of all time. A | | | | medals. After retirement from track, he in completed |
| long-distance runner, he competed in the 1920, 1924 | | | | in a 1990 World Cup bobsled race in Germany and |
| and 1928 Olympics, winning 12 Olympic medals. | | | | won the two-man bronze medal with US Olympian |
| 3. Chris Campbell, wrestler, trained for the 1980 | | | | Brian Shimer. Edwin Moses is a vegetarian. |
| Olympics but did not compete as the American team | | | | 10. Leroy Burrell, sprinter, twice set the world record |
| boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics. At age 37, he | | | | for the 100 meter sprint. He won a gold medal for |
| began training again and secured a place on the US | | | | the US in 1992 in Barcelona. He is a vegetarian. |
| team, winning a bronze medal at the 1992 Olympics, | | | | As stated in "Vegetarian Diets" by the International |
| becoming the oldest American to medal in Olympic | | | | Center for Sports Nutrition, Olympic Coach Magazine, |
| wrestling. He says, "I take care of my body. I don't | | | | Winter 1997: |
| eat meat, and I do yoga every day. It makes a | | | | "If care is taken to include a wide variety of foods, |
| difference." | | | | vegetarian diets can be nutritionally adequate to |
| 4. Carl Lewis, vegan athlete, won 10 Olympic medals, | | | | support athletic performance." |
| including 9 golds, in a career that spanned from 1979 | | | | "Whether an individual is a recreational or world-class |
| to 1996, competing for the US. He said, "most | | | | athlete, being a vegetarian does not diminish natural |
| athletes have the worst diet in the world, and they | | | | talent or athletic performance. As far back as the |
| compete in spite of it." | | | | Ancient Games, Greek athletes trained on vegetarian |
| 5. Surya Bonaly, professional figure skater, | | | | diets and displayed amazing ability in competitive |
| represented France in the Olympics of 1992, 1994, | | | | athletics." |
| and 1998. She is also now a US citizen. A vegetarian, | | | | Looking at these 10 vegetarian Olympic athletes, it's |
| she has appeared in PETA ads protesting Canada's | | | | clear that the need to eat meat to be strong and a |
| baby seal hunt and English and French fur trade. | | | | champion is a myth. A whole foods, plant-based diet |
| 6. Debbie Lawrence, vegetarian racewalker, has been | | | | will give an athlete all the excellent nutrition he or she |
| a three-time Olympian (1992, 1996, and 2000) and is | | | | needs to be a winner. |
| the world record holder for the women's 5K racewalk | | | | |