Top Olympic moments to be unveiled Saturday

CTVOlympics.ca

As broadcaster Brian Williams helps put the finishing touches on the Top 10 Canadian Olympic Winter Moments television special that airs this Saturday, he can't help but relive the special moments in Canadian history.

After all, with over two decades of experience covering the Olympic Games, the host of CTV's Olympic Primetime broadcasts has witnessed most of the moments, live.

"I talked to Wayne Gretzky, I talked to Hayley Wickenheiser, I talked to Cindy Klassen, I talked to Nancy Greene just this week. But I've known so many of these people for so many years," Williams said in an interview with CTVOlympics.ca.

"Nancy and I go back, oh, 30 years," Williams said. Greene is now a Canadian senator, but Williams, who was in Ottawa this week to interview her, says she has not changed a bit. "She is as enthusiastic and humble today as she was in 1968," he said.

Williams hosts the show, which is sponsored by the Royal Canadian Mint and premiers on CTV this Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. It counts down Canada's top 10 Olympic moments of all time, as voted earlier this year by fans across the country.

While the top three moments will be featured on Canadian 25-cent coins during the months leading up to Vancouver 2010, Williams said the most "special" aspect of the show is hearing the stories and memories of the Canadian celebrities who introduce the moments.

Joining Williams in the one-hour special are Masters champion Mike Weir, Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall, astronaut Julie Payette, soprano Measha Brueggergosman, CTV News chief anchor Lloyd Robertson, Senator Pamela Wallin, and recording artists Jann Arden, Ed Robertson from the Barenaked Ladies, Jim Cuddy from Blue Rodeo and Chuck Comeau from Simple Plan.

"I think what makes the show significant and really interesting is that we have non-sports people - with the exception of Mike Weir - introducing these moments, yet we didn't script it for them," Williams said. "They had personal memories. We interviewed (astronaut Julie Payette) at NASA. She talked about (speed skater) Gaetan Boucher in '84 in Sarajevo. She remembered everything about him. She was a student at McGill then, and she had a great line. She said, ‘If you dream, you can win gold medals or watch the earth spin at your feet.'"

As for Williams, who has been covering Olympic competitions for more than two decades, he had some trouble pinning down one favourite moment.

"For me, it's hard to pick one. They all stand out for different reasons," Williams said. He was, however, able to isolate one event that was especially prevalent in his memory.

"I really appreciate Becky Scott," Williams said, "She had the courage to stand up, prior to Salt Lake City, and say, ‘you know what? My sport's dirty.' And she was ridiculed!

"And then she wins a bronze, it's upgraded to a silver, and then to a gold when the two skiers in front of her tested for banned substances. So she's very special."

The complete list of Canadian personalities and Top 10 Canadian Olympic Winter Moments finalists:

Jann Arden, singer-songwriter - on Cindy Klassen, one gold medal, two silver medals and two bronze medals in speed skating at Turin 2006

Measha Brueggergosman, soprano - on Clara Hughes, gold medal in speed skating at Turin 2006

Kim Cattrall, actress - on Nancy Greene, gold and silver medals in alpine skiing at Grenoble 1968

Chuck Comeau, Simple Plan - on Marc Gagnon, gold medal in short track speed skating at Salt Lake City 2002

Jim Cuddy, Blue Rodeo - on Women's Hockey Team, gold medal at Salt Lake City 2002

Julie Payette, astronaut - on Gaétan Boucher, two gold medals and one bronze medal in speed skating at Sarajevo 1984

Ed Robertson, Barenaked Ladies - on Jamie Salé and David Pelletier, gold medal in figure skating at Salt Lake City 2002

Lloyd Robertson, CTV News Chief Anchor - on Beckie Scott, gold medal in cross-country skiing at Salt Lake City 2002

Pamela Wallin, Senator - on Catriona Le May Doan, gold medal in speed skating at Salt Lake City 2002

Mike Weir, PGA TOUR champion - on Men's Hockey Team, gold medal at Salt Lake City 2002