CHIEFS & CHAMPIONS - ALWYN MORRIS - KAYAKING

Alwyn Morris, a Mohawk from Kahnawake, Quebec, won the Gold Medal in kayaking at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. On the podium, Alwyn held an eagle feather high to honor a promise he had made to his grandfather, that one day he would be an Olympic winner. At fourteen, he was small and the coaches didn’t think he would ever be big enough to pull much water. But he persevered and the awards piled up, leading to his Olympic selection and win. These days Alwyn works as a member of his Band Council, negotiating land issues. He is the visionary behind the Aboriginal Sports Circle and was twice honored with the Tom Longboat Award.