Toronto, ON
Dave Ross
Birthplace: Toronto, ON
Year of Birth: 1980
Club: Skyriders Trampoline Place
Favourite Event: Individual Trampoline
Follow me on Twitter: Karen_Cockburn
With three Olympic medals to her credit, Karen Cockburn is the most decorated trampolinist in Olympic history. She won bronze in trampoline’s inaugural Olympic Games at Sydney 2000, following it up with silvers at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. At the latter, she was honoured to be named Canada’s Closing Ceremony flag bearer. She narrowly missed a fourth Olympic medal with her fourth place finish at London 2012. Cockburn won gold at the 2007 Pan Am Games but was unable to defend her title at Guadalajara 2011 when she developed a stomach illness and had to withdraw after leading the qualification round. World champion in 2003, Cockburn also won a world bronze medal in 2009. She took time away from the sport after the 2012 Olympic Games to start a family. Returning in 2014, she intended to compete at the FIG World Championships in November of that year but at that event she broke her left ankle when she landed on the frame of the trampoline in training, requiring surgery. She was allowed to resume jumping in March 2015 and captured a bronze medal that summer at the Pan Am Games in Toronto.
Family: Parents Colin and Patricia Cockburn… Older brother Kevin… Husband Mathieu Turgeon won trampoline bronze at Sydney 2000… Daughter Émilie was born in September 2013.
Getting into the Sport: Started trampoline at age 11 as training for gymnastics and diving… Began competing internationally two years later.
Outside Interests: Studied holistic nutrition at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition… Affiliated with Jump Start and At My Best.
Odds and Ends: Inspired by Silken Laumann at the 1992 Olympic Games who taught her to never give up no matter what obstacles get in your way… She has a webbed toe… Likes to make funny faces and do funny voices… Grandmother is 101 years old!
Favourite quote: Dream Big