André Viger : Biography Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

André Viger

Canadian paralympic athlete

André Viger

Viger after his victory in the men's wheelchair division of the 1984 Boston Marathon

Personal information

Born

(1952-09-27)September 27, 1952
Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Died

October 1, 2006(2006-10-01) (aged 54)

Sport

Paralympic athletics

Medal record

Paralympic athletics

Representing Canada
Paralympic Games
	1984 Stoke Mandeville	Marathon 3
	1988 Seoul	Marathon 3
	1992 Barcelona	10,000m TW3-4
	1988 Seoul	10,000m 3
	1992 Barcelona	4x100m relay TW3-4
	1992 Barcelona	4x400m relay TW3-4
	1980 Arnhem	4x100m relay 2-5
	1984 Stoke Mandeville	1500m 3
	1988 Seoul	800m 3
	1988 Seoul	5000m 3

André Viger, OC CQ (September 27, 1952 – October 1, 2006) was a French Canadian wheelchair marathoner and Paralympian. He took part in five consecutive Summer Paralympic Games in athletics from 1980 to 1996, winning a total of three gold, three silver and four bronze medals.

Biography

Born in Windsor, Ontario, Viger grew up in Sherbrooke, Quebec. He lost the use of his legs following a traffic accident at age 20. He won the men's wheelchair division of the Boston Marathon in 1984, 1986 and 1987. In 1987, he was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec. In 1989, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada for being "a source of encouragement for young athletes and a role model for young people everywhere".^[1] In 1993, he was inducted into the Terry Fox Hall of Fame, and in 2005, the Paralympic Hall of Fame.

After retiring from athletics, he began a career as a businessman and started a wheelchair manufacturing company. He died of cancer on October 1, 2006.^[2]

In 2013, Viger was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.^[3]