Crossing Canada
on a Tandem 2003

Who is the Lion Jean Bouchard

The sixty-five year old Lion Jean Bouchard, blind and born deaf, is a multidisciplinary athlete. In spite of his sensorial disabilities, he has accomplished many outstanding achievements.

He has ran more than thirty marathons, was the first blind Canadian athlete to do a triathlon and he won 53 gold medals at the Canadian Championships for people living with a visual handicap.

When he was asked to recall his best memories, he says with great pleasure: "It was a great honour to finish my first Boston marathon. Also, there was something magical when I ran my first 10 km at Laval University, in 1977". In addition of being a runner of high calibre, he is an experienced cyclist. Lion Jean Bouchard adores devoting himself to physical activities that require courage and willpower, as he has demonstrated in the ultra-course of 823 km that he finished in 21 days.

He has a big heart for good causes. He acts as a godfather for some organizations in their salutary projects, such as the Motor Adaptation Foundation. In 1982, he ran for the Eye Diseases Foundation more than 300 km along with Phil Latulippe. Lion Jean Bouchard has always given himself, body and soul, to good causes because he understands the difficulties the blind and the deaf persons have to confront. Daily, he must surpass the same obstacles.

With this new project, Crossing Canada on a Tandem-Bicycle, he does it with two objectives in mind. On one hand, he wants to encourage the elderly and the handicapped persons to live actively. On the other hand, he wants to live an adventure that will allow him to surpass himself physically, and at the same time he wants to get involved actively for a good cause.

He will pedal approximately 7,000 km through hills and plains under the hot sun of the Prairies as well as under the cold rains of the Rockies. Day in and out, he will have to ride 100 to 160 km. "Some days, it will be difficult to make the planned 100 km, because I will not always be at ease. During those arduous moments, I will have to find the extra energy that will allow me to finish this stage", specifies Lion Jean Bouchard in a tone full of joy.

For many years, he trained with great determination and assiduity. Five times a week, he runs, pedals, swims and works his muscles on machines at the Laval University gymnasium. When you see him training, you will observe the importance he gives to his physical fitness; to him physical fitness rhymes with health, quality of life and pleasure. Lion Jean Bouchard hopes that his message to live actively will be heard by the elderly and handicapped persons, and that they will not hesitate to integrate an active lifestyle in their daily lives.