Canada, represented by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. Canadian athletes have competed in every Summer Olympic Games since 1900, except the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow because of the country's support for the United States-led boycott. Canada sent a total of 281 athletes to the Games to compete in 24 sports. With the initiation of its "Own the Podium" programme, the COC set a goal of finishing in the top 12 for total medals; but the nation came up short of this goal, finishing 13th in the medal standings. Canada matched its total medal count from Beijing 2008, finishing the event with 18 medals: two gold, six silver and 10 bronze.
Canada left London with a single gold medal, awarded to trampoline gymnast Rosannagh MacLennan in the women's event. This was its lowest count of golds in a Summer Olympic games since 1976. However, weightlifter Christine Girard, initially the bronze medallist in the women's 63 kg event, was subsequently upgraded to the gold medal position in April 2018 following the disqualification of the gold and silver medallists. This raised Canada's gold medal count to two, which still remained the nation's lowest count since 1976, where it failed to win a gold despite being the host.
Prior to Girard's being upgraded to the gold medal, Canada's performance had broken the record for the highest total medal count for a nation with only one gold medal. This was despite several Canadian athletes just missing out of the medal finishes, including the men's 4 x 100 m sprint relay team, who were disqualified after finishing in third. Canada left London with 5 silver and 11 bronze medals. The media nicknamed this the "Bronze Games" for Canada due to the disproportionate number of bronze medals won (compared to the solitary gold medal) compared to previous Olympics. Diving pair Émilie Heymans and Jennifer Abel won the nation's first medal in the women's synchronized springboard event. Heymans became the first Canadian athlete to win Olympic medals in four consecutive games. Canada also won the bronze medal match in the women's soccer tournament, the first for the nation since 1904, and the first in a traditional team sport since 1936.
Medallists
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Medal Name Sport Event Date Weightlifting Women's 63 kg Rosie MacLennan Gymnastics Women's trampoline Jeremiah BrownAndrew ByrnesWill CrothersDouglas CsimaRobert GibsonMalcolm HowardConlin McCabeBrian Price Rowing Men's eight Janine HansonKrista GuloienDarcy MarquardtNatalie MastracciAndréanne MorinLesley ThompsonRachelle ViinbergLauren Wilkinson Rowing Women's eight Ryan Cochrane Swimming Men's 1500 m freestyle Derek Drouin Athletics Men's high jump Adam van Koeverden Canoeing Men's K-1 1000 m Tonya Verbeek Wrestling Women's freestyle 55 kg Émilie Heymans Diving Women's synchronized 3 m springboard Roseline Filion Diving Women's synchronized 10 m platform Judo Men's 81 kg Swimming Men's 100 m freestyle Gillian CarletonJasmin GlaesserTara Whitten Cycling Women's team pursuit Mark Oldershaw Canoeing Men's C-1 1000 m Carol Huynh Wrestling Women's freestyle 48 kg Canada women's national soccer team Soccer Women's tournament Richard Weinberger Swimming Men's 10 km open water Mark de Jonge Canoeing Men's K-1 200 m
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Medals by sportSport TotalGymnastics 1 0 0 1Weightlifting 1 0 0 1Rowing 0 2 0 2Swimming 0 1 2 3Canoeing 0 1 2 3Wrestling 0 1 1 2Athletics 0 1 0 1Diving 0 0 2 2Cycling 0 0 1 1Football 0 0 1 1Judo 0 0 1 1Total 2 6 10 18
Medal hopes Several Canadian athletes, considered as strong medal contenders, missed out of the podium during their final events. The men's sprint relay team, led by Jared Connaughton, held the third fastest time in the finals, but were later disqualified for a lane violation. Trampoline gymnasts Jason Burnett and Karen Cockburn missed out of winning another Olympic medal for the first time. Triathlete and two-time Olympic medallist Simon Whitfield was forced to withdraw from the men's event after suffering minor injuries from a bike crash. Springboard diver and medal favourite Alexander Despatie made a disappointing performance in the men's final event, finishing only in eleventh place. Track cyclist Tara Whitten finished fourth in a grueling two-day women's omnium event, when she was a former two time world champion in the event. Other medal failures included the female badminton team's defeat in the bronze medal match, defending champion Eric Lamaze, who failed to advance into the finals in the individual jumping event, and fourth-place finishes in swimming, specifically in the women's 4x200 freestyle relay event, and in synchronized swimming.
Delegation The Canadian Olympic Committee selected a team of 281 athletes, 119 men and 153 women, to compete in all sports except handball and field hockey. The nation's team size was roughly smaller by 60 athletes from the previous games. Along with the nation's athletes, Canada also sent a team of 93 coaches and 137 members from the mission staff. For the second time in its Olympic history, Canada was represented by more female than male athletes. Athletics was the largest team by sport, with a total of 45 competitors.
The Canadian team included several past Olympic champions, three of them defending (freestyle wrestler Carol Huynh, equestrian jumping rider Eric Lamaze, and the men's eight rowing team). Equestrian show jumper Ian Millar became the first athlete to compete at his tenth Olympic games, and also, the oldest athlete of the team at age 65.CTV Olympics Early Morning, airdate: 27 July 2012 Eight rower Lesley Thompson, Canada's oldest female athlete, made her seventh Olympic appearance, having participated since 1984 (except the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, where she was not selected). Gymnast Victoria Moors, on the other hand, was the youngest athlete of the team, at age 15. Other Canadian athletes featured road cyclist Clara Hughes, who competed at both Summer and Winter Olympic games, two-time silver medallist Alexander Despatie in springboard diving, multiple-time Olympic medallist Adam van Koeverden in sprint kayaking, and swimmers Ryan Cochrane and Brent Hayden.
Former backstroke swimmer and 1992 Summer Olympics gold medallist Mark Tewksbury was the nation's chef de mission, while former diver and 1984 Summer Olympics gold medallist Sylvie Bernier became an assistant chef de mission. Triathlete and double Olympic medallist Simon Whitfield was the nation's flag bearer at the opening ceremony.
| width=78% align=left valign=top | The following is the list of number of competitors participating in the Games. Note that reserves in fencing, field hockey, football, and handball are not counted as athletes: SportMenWomenTotalArchery 1 1 2Athletics 25 20 45Badminton 1 3 4Basketball 0 12 12Boxing 2 1 3Canoeing 7 1 8Cycling 6 10 16Diving 5 4 9Equestrian 4 8 12Fencing 2 3 5Football 0 18 18Gymnastics 2 13 15Judo 5 3 8Modern pentathlon 0 2 2Rowing 19 11 30Sailing 9 2 11Shooting 1 1 2Swimming 13 18 31Synchronized swimming 0 9 9Table tennis 3 1 4Taekwondo 2 1 3Tennis 3 2 5Triathlon 3 2 5Volleyball 2 2 4Weightlifting 0 3 3Wrestling 5 4 9 Total 120 155 275
Archery
Canada qualified one male and female archer. Jason Lyon won a quota spot by finishing in the top 5 in the men's individual event at the 2011 World Archery Championships in Turin, Italy. However, Crispin Duenas won the right to represent Canada at the Games after winning the Olympic trials. Marie-Pier Beaudet won the continental qualification event and the Canadian trials to qualify for the 2012 Olympics.
AthleteEventRanking roundRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal / ScoreSeedOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankCrispin DuenasMen's individual6788 (57)L 2–6Did not advanceMarie-Pier BeaudetWomen's individual64529 (36)L 3–7Did not advance
Athletics
Canadian athletes achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of three athletes in each event at the 'A' Standard, and one at the 'B' Standard): The team was selected based on the results of the 2012 Canadian Olympic Track & Field Trials in Calgary on 27–30 June.
Men Track & road events AthleteEventHeatQuarterfinalSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRankJustyn Warner100 mcolspan=2 10.093 Q10.095Did not advanceAaron Brown200 m20.554 Qcolspan=2 20.424Did not advanceJared Connaughton20.723 Qcolspan=2 20.647Did not advanceTremaine Harris20.705colspan=2 Did not advanceDaundre Barnaby400 m46.046colspan=2 Did not advanceGeoffrey Harris800 m1:45.972 Qcolspan=2 1:46.147Did not advanceNathan Brannen1500 m3:39.955 Qcolspan=2 3:39.2612Did not advanceCameron Levins5000 m13:18.298 qcolspan=4 13:51.8714Mohammed Ahmed10000 mcolspan=6 28:13.9118Cameron Levinscolspan=6 27:38.8111Alex Genest3000 m steeplechase8:22.627colspan=4 Did not advanceJared ConnaughtonAkeem HaynesOluwasegun MakindeGavin SmellieOluseyi SmithJustyn Warner4 × 100 m relay38.052 Qcolspan=4 *Reid CoolsaetMarathon colspan=6 2:16:2927Eric Gilliscolspan=6 2:16:0022Dylan Wykescolspan=6 2:15:2620Inaki Gomez20 km walkcolspan=6 1:20.5813 * Canada initially placed third in the 4 × 100 m relay, but were subsequently disqualified for stepping on the lane line.
Field events AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionDerek Drouin High jump2.296 q2.29 Michael Mason2.26=12 q2.298 Dylan ArmstrongShot put20.497 q20.935 Justin Rodhe—Did not advance Curtis Moss Javelin throw78.2222Did not advance James Steacy Hammer throw—Did not advance
Combined events – Decathlon AthleteEvent 100 m 400 m 1500 mFinalRankDamian WarnerResult10.487.5413.732.0548.2014.3845.904.7062.774:29.8584425Points980945712850899926785819780746
Women Track & road events AthleteEventHeatQuarterfinalSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRankKerri-Ann Mitchell100 mcolspan=2 11.496Did not advance Crystal Emmanuel 200 m23.105 qcolspan=2 23.287Did not advance Jenna Martin 400 m51.983 Qcolspan=2 52.837Did not advance Melissa Bishop 800 m2:09.336colspan=2 Did not advance Jessica Smith2:07.752 Qcolspan=2 2:01.907Did not advance Nicole Sifuentes 1500 m4:07.657 qcolspan=2 4:06.3311Did not advance Hilary Stellingwerff4:05.796 Qcolspan=2 4:05.576Did not advance Sheila Reid 5000 m15:27.4115colspan=4 Did not advance Phylicia George 100 m hurdles12.832 Qcolspan=2 12.653 q12.656 Nikkita Holder12.935 qcolspan=2 12.936Did not advance Jessica Zelinka12.752 Qcolspan=2 12.662 Q12.697 Sarah Wells 400 m hurdles56.474 Qcolspan=2 56.718Did not advanceRachel Seaman20 km walk colspan=6 1:37:3652
Field events AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionMélanie BlouinPole vault4.2519Did not advance Julie Labonté Shot put17.4823Did not advance Elizabeth Gleadle Javelin throw60.2611 q58.7812 Sultana Frizell Hammer throw67.4526Did not advance Heather Steacy63.4034Did not advance
Combined events – Heptathlon AthleteEvent 200 m 800 mFinalRankBrianne TheisenResult13.301.8312.8924.356.0146.472:09.638311Points10801016720947853792975Jessica ZelinkaResult12.651.6814.8123.325.9145.752:09.1564607Points11788308481047822778977
Badminton
Canada qualified four badminton athletes. The team was officially announced on 18 May 2012. The women's doubles pairing of Alex Bruce and Michelle Li finished last in the round-robin portion, losing all three of their matches. However, the top two teams in the group were disqualified for attempting to intentionally lose matches so they would have an easier match-up in the quarterfinals. The duo was advanced to their quarterfinals and won, but lost in the semifinals and bronze medal game.