Michael Nepinak: Difference between revisions

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Remove overlinking. Articles are only linked on first mention, not every time they appear in text
 
(20 intermediate revisions by 15 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
⚫
'''Michael Nepinak''' (born May 3, 1953) was a Canadian [[track and field]] athlete ([[triple jump]]) and is a member of the [[Pine Creek First Nation]]. He excelled in his sport while attending the [[University of Pennsylvania]] in [[Philadelphia]], Pennsylvania. In 1978 he set a new Canadian record in triple jump at the [[Commonwealth Games]] with a jump of 16.24 metres; this record stood for eight years until it was broken by George Wright in 1987. In 1980, he was named to the Canadian Olympic Team for the [[1980 Summer Olympics]] in [[Moscow]], Russia.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://indspire.ca/laureate/michael-nepinak-2/|title=Indspire {{!}} Michael Nepinak|website=indspire.ca|access-date=2017-03-24}}</ref> He was twice champion at the [[Canadian Track and Field Championships]], winning in 1978 and 1980.<ref>[http://www.gbrathletics.com/nc/can.htm Canadian Championships]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2018-03-24.</ref>
{{orphan|date=May 2017}}

⚫
'''Michael Nepinak''' (born March 4, 1953) was a Canadian [[track and field]] athlete ([[triple jump]]) and is a member of the [[Pine Creek First Nation]]. He excelled in his sport while attending the [[University of Pennsylvania]] in [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]. In 1978 he set a new Canadian record in triple jump at the [[Commonwealth Games]] with a jump of 16.24 metres - this record stood for eight years until it was broken by George Wright in 1987. In 1980, he was named to the Canadian Olympic Team for the [[1980 Summer Olympics]] in [[Moscow|Moscow, Russia]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://indspire.ca/laureate/michael-nepinak-2/|title=Indspire {{!}} Michael Nepinak|website=indspire.ca|access-date=2017-03-24}}</ref>


== Career ==
== Career ==


=== University of Pennsylvania ===
=== University of Pennsylvania ===
Michael Nepinak became a star track and field athlete while attending the University of Pennsylvania in 1977. As a third year student, Nepinak set an [[Ivy League]] outdoor track and field record in the triple jump, with a jump of 16.02 metres. During the next indoor season he continued his dominance, breaking the indoor record with a jump of 15.85 metres. One of Nepinak's biggest honours was when he was named to All-American status as he was voted the Outstanding Performer of the Heptagonal Indoor meet in 1978.<ref name=":0" />
Michael Nepinak became a star track and field athlete while attending the University of Pennsylvania in 1977. As a third year student, Nepinak set an [[Ivy League]] outdoor track and field record in the triple jump, with a jump of 16.02 metres. During the next indoor season he continued his dominance, breaking the indoor record with a jump of 15.85 metres. One of Nepinak's biggest honours was when he was named to All-American status as he was voted the Outstanding Performer of the Heptagonal Indoor meet in 1978.<ref name=":0" />


=== Commonwealth Games ===
=== Commonwealth Games ===
After his record breaking season at the University of Pennsylvania, he competed for Team Canada at the [[Commonwealth Games]] in 1978. At the games, he managed to jump 16.24m which set a Canadian national record that stood for 8 years, only to be broken by George Wright in 1987. This performance was the best of Nepinak's career, and ranks him 6th all-time for outdoor triple jump in Canada<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://athletics.ca/calendar-rankings/rankings/#sthash.ICp56eME.dpbs|title=Rankings {{!}} Athletics Canada|work=Athletics Canada|access-date=2017-03-30|language=en-US}}</ref> This performance also stood for twenty-four years as the University of Pennsylvania's outdoor triple jump record before being passed by Tuan Wreh in 2002. This performance still stands 2nd overall at the University of Pennsylvania.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.pennathletics.com/page/xc-track-field-history|title=Cross Country/Track & Field History, Top-10 Marks - PENN Quakers|work=University of Pennsylvania {{!}} Official Athletics Site|access-date=2017-03-30|language=en}}</ref>
After his record-breaking season at the University of Pennsylvania, he competed for Team Canada at the [[Commonwealth Games]] in 1978. At the games, he managed to jump 16.24m which set a Canadian national record that stood for 8 years, only to be broken by George Wright in 1987. This performance was the best of Nepinak's career, and ranks him 6th all-time for outdoor triple jump in Canada.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://athletics.ca/calendar-rankings/rankings/#sthash.ICp56eME.dpbs|title=Rankings {{!}} Athletics Canada|work=Athletics Canada|access-date=2017-03-30|language=en-US}}</ref> This performance also stood for twenty-four years as the University of Pennsylvania's outdoor triple jump record before being passed by Tuan Wreh in 2002. This performance still stands 2nd overall at the University of Pennsylvania.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.pennathletics.com/page/xc-track-field-history|title=Cross Country/Track & Field History, Top-10 Marks – PENN Quakers|publisher=University of Pennsylvania {{!}} Official Athletics Site|access-date=2017-03-30|language=en}}</ref>


=== 1980 Summer Olympics ===
=== 1980 Summer Olympics ===
In 1980, Nepinak became a member of Canada’s Olympic Team.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://wayback.archive-it.org/2217/20101208163123/http:/www.edukits.ca/aboriginal/contributions/student/biographies/sports_nepinak.htm|title=First Nations Contributions - Student Zone - Biographies|website=wayback.archive-it.org|access-date=2017-03-24}}</ref> Unfortunately, Nepinak was never able to compete in the Olympics due to the [[1980 Summer Olympics boycott|boycott]] over the [[Soviet war in Afghanistan]].
In 1980, Nepinak became a member of Canada's Olympic Team.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.edukits.ca/aboriginal/contributions/student/biographies/sports_nepinak.htm |title=First Nations Contributions – Student Zone – Biographies |website=wayback.archive-it.org |access-date=2017-03-24 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/2217/20101208163123/http://www.edukits.ca/aboriginal/contributions/student/biographies/sports_nepinak.htm |archive-date=2010-12-08 }}</ref> Unfortunately, Nepinak was never able to compete in the Olympics due to the [[1980 Summer Olympics boycott|boycott]] over the [[Soviet–Afghan War]].


== Results ==
== Results ==
Line 24: Line 22:
|[[Canadian Track and Field Championships]]
|[[Canadian Track and Field Championships]]
|[[Regina, Saskatchewan|Regina]]
|[[Regina, Saskatchewan|Regina]]
|15.05m<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=|title=CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS MEDALLISTS|last=|first=|date=2015|work=Athletics Canada|access-date=|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=}}</ref>
|15.05m<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|title=CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS MEDALLISTS|date=2015|work=Athletics Canada}}</ref>
|-
|-
|1977
|1977
Line 34: Line 32:
|[[USA–USSR Track and Field Dual Meet Series]]
|[[USA–USSR Track and Field Dual Meet Series]]
|[[Toronto]]
|[[Toronto]]
|15.70m<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/30549887/|title=Independent Press-Telegram from Long Beach, California on March 5, 1977 &middot; Page 36|work=Newspapers.com|access-date=2017-03-30|language=en}}</ref>
|15.70m<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/30549887/|title=Independent Press-Telegram from Long Beach, California on March 5, 1977 · Page 36|work=Newspapers.com|access-date=2017-03-30|language=en}}</ref>
|-
|-
|1978
|1978
Line 42: Line 40:
|-
|-
|1978
|1978
|[[1978 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]
|[[Athletics at the 1978 Commonwealth Games – Men's triple jump|Commonwealth Games]]
|[[Edmonton]]
|[[Edmonton]]
|16.24m<ref>{{Cite news|url=|title=Commonwealth Games How Canada Fared|last=|first=|date=14 August 1978|work=The Globe and Mail|access-date=|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=}}</ref>
|5th – 16.24m<ref>{{Cite news|title=Commonwealth Games How Canada Fared|date=14 August 1978|work=The Globe and Mail}}</ref>
|-
|-
|1979
|1979
Line 57: Line 55:
|}
|}


== Personal Life ==
== Personal life ==
Nepinak is a member of the [[Pine Creek First Nation]]<ref name=":1" /> and spent the first 21 years of his life as a ward of the [[Children's Aid Society (Ontario)|Children’s Aid Society]]<ref name=":0" /> After the Commonwealth Games, Nepinak had to find a job to in order to pay the bills. He worked as a management trainee at the Hudson Bay Company, but ended up losing the job. Nepinak later attempted to utilise his athletic talents to find a paying job. He was invited to a tryout with the [[Toronto Argonauts]] of the [[Canadian Football League]] in 1979 despite not playing a game of organised football in four years. However, he did play on the junior varsity team at the [[University of Illinois at Chicago|University of Illinois]] <nowiki/>prior to transferring to the [[University of Pennsylvania]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=|title=Olympic ideal's fine, but football can pay the rent|last=Abel|first=Allen|date=7 June 1979|work=The Globe and Mail|access-date=|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=}}</ref>
Nepinak is a member of the [[Pine Creek First Nation]]<ref name=":1" /> and spent the first 18 years of his life as a ward of the [[Children's Aid Society (Ontario)|Children's Aid Society]].<ref name=":0" /> He was invited to a tryout with the [[Toronto Argonauts]] of the [[Canadian Football League]] in 1979 despite not playing a game of organised football in four years. However, he did play on the junior varsity team at the [[University of Illinois at Chicago|University of Illinois]] <nowiki/>prior to transferring to the University of Pennsylvania.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Olympic ideal's fine, but football can pay the rent.|last=Abel|first=Allen|date=7 June 1979|work=The Globe and Mail}}</ref>


== Awards and Achievements ==
== Awards and achievements ==
In 2002, Nepinak was a National Aboriginal Achievement Award recipient.<ref name=":1" /> Now called [[Indspire Awards]], they are given out to individuals who encourage excellence in the [[Aboriginal peoples in Canada|Aboriginal]] community.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=2016-12-01|title=Indspire Awards|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indspire_Awards&oldid=752499426|journal=Wikipedia|language=en}}</ref> One year later in 2003, Nepinak was given an Honorary [[Doctor of law|Doctor of Laws]] from the [[University of Windsor]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=|title=It's never too late to graduate|last=van Wageningen|first=Ellen|date=20 October 2003|work=The Windsor Star|access-date=|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=}}</ref>
In 2002, Nepinak was a National Aboriginal Achievement Award recipient.<ref name=":1" /> Now called [[Indspire Awards]], they are given out to individuals who encourage excellence in the [[Aboriginal peoples in Canada|Aboriginal]] community. One year later in 2003, Nepinak was given an Honorary [[Doctor of law|Doctor of Laws]] from the [[University of Windsor]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=It's never too late to graduate|last=van Wageningen|first=Ellen|date=20 October 2003|work=The Windsor Star}}</ref>


⚫
== References ==

⚫
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


{{authority control}}
*
*
*
*




{{DEFAULTSORT:Nepinak, Michael}}
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Canadian track and field athletes]]
[[Category:Canadian male triple jumpers]]
[[Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni]]
[[Category:Penn Quakers men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:First Nations sportspeople]]
[[Category:Indspire Awards]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for Canada]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1978 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Canadian Track and Field Championships winners]]

Latest revision as of 04:56, 10 January 2024

Michael Nepinak (born May 3, 1953) was a Canadian track and field athlete (triple jump) and is a member of the Pine Creek First Nation. He excelled in his sport while attending the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1978 he set a new Canadian record in triple jump at the Commonwealth Games with a jump of 16.24 metres; this record stood for eight years until it was broken by George Wright in 1987. In 1980, he was named to the Canadian Olympic Team for the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Russia.[1] He was twice champion at the Canadian Track and Field Championships, winning in 1978 and 1980.[2]

Career[edit]

University of Pennsylvania[edit]

Michael Nepinak became a star track and field athlete while attending the University of Pennsylvania in 1977. As a third year student, Nepinak set an Ivy League outdoor track and field record in the triple jump, with a jump of 16.02 metres. During the next indoor season he continued his dominance, breaking the indoor record with a jump of 15.85 metres. One of Nepinak's biggest honours was when he was named to All-American status as he was voted the Outstanding Performer of the Heptagonal Indoor meet in 1978.[1]

Commonwealth Games[edit]

After his record-breaking season at the University of Pennsylvania, he competed for Team Canada at the Commonwealth Games in 1978. At the games, he managed to jump 16.24m which set a Canadian national record that stood for 8 years, only to be broken by George Wright in 1987. This performance was the best of Nepinak's career, and ranks him 6th all-time for outdoor triple jump in Canada.[3] This performance also stood for twenty-four years as the University of Pennsylvania's outdoor triple jump record before being passed by Tuan Wreh in 2002. This performance still stands 2nd overall at the University of Pennsylvania.[4]

1980 Summer Olympics[edit]

In 1980, Nepinak became a member of Canada's Olympic Team.[5] Unfortunately, Nepinak was never able to compete in the Olympics due to the boycott over the Soviet–Afghan War.

Results[edit]

Year Competition Location Result
1976 Canadian Track and Field Championships Regina 15.05m[6]
1977 Canadian Track and Field Championships Sudbury 15.62m[6]
1977 USA–USSR Track and Field Dual Meet Series Toronto 15.70m[7]
1978 Canadian Track and Field Championships Montreal 15.28m[6]
1978 Commonwealth Games Edmonton 5th – 16.24m[8]
1979 Canadian Track and Field Championships Sherbrooke 15.26m[6]
1980 Canadian Track and Field Championships Sherbrooke 16.39m[6]

Personal life[edit]

Nepinak is a member of the Pine Creek First Nation[5] and spent the first 18 years of his life as a ward of the Children's Aid Society.[1] He was invited to a tryout with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League in 1979 despite not playing a game of organised football in four years. However, he did play on the junior varsity team at the University of Illinois prior to transferring to the University of Pennsylvania.[9]

Awards and achievements[edit]

In 2002, Nepinak was a National Aboriginal Achievement Award recipient.[5] Now called Indspire Awards, they are given out to individuals who encourage excellence in the Aboriginal community. One year later in 2003, Nepinak was given an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Windsor.[10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Indspire | Michael Nepinak". indspire.ca. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
  2. ^ Canadian Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
  3. ^ "Rankings | Athletics Canada". Athletics Canada. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
  4. ^ "Cross Country/Track & Field History, Top-10 Marks – PENN Quakers". University of Pennsylvania | Official Athletics Site. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
  5. ^ a b c "First Nations Contributions – Student Zone – Biographies". wayback.archive-it.org. Archived from the original on 2010-12-08. Retrieved 2017-03-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ^ a b c d e "CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS MEDALLISTS". Athletics Canada. 2015.
  7. ^ "Independent Press-Telegram from Long Beach, California on March 5, 1977 · Page 36". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
  8. ^ "Commonwealth Games How Canada Fared". The Globe and Mail. 14 August 1978.
  9. ^ Abel, Allen (7 June 1979). "Olympic ideal's fine, but football can pay the rent". The Globe and Mail.
  10. ^ van Wageningen, Ellen (20 October 2003). "It's never too late to graduate". The Windsor Star.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Nepinak&oldid=1194670967"