Donate Today EN | FR
Hall of Famers

Hall of Famer

GERALD PRESLEY

Inducted in 1965

Member Details

Date of Birth: May 14, 1942
Place of Birth: Arnprior, Ontario
Sport: Bobsleigh
Member Category: Athlete

Career Highlights

1965

Gold medal, Four-man Bobsled, World Championships

Hall of Famer GERALD PRESLEY
Sport

Story

In 1964, Canada made its debut on the Olympic bobsled course and, much to the surprise of their European competitors, claimed Olympic gold in the four-man event. Many pundits suggested the win must have been a fluke because Canada did not possess the proper training facilities, while team members Victor Emery, John Emery, Peter Kirby, and Douglas Anakin had very little bobsledding experience. The following year, Victor Emery and Peter Kirby set out to prove that their victory was no mere chance occurrence, but when John Emery and Douglas Anakin were unable to join them, they recruited Gerald Presley and Michael Young to complete their team and contest for the world championship title. It was no easy feat for Emery to find two substitutes who could duplicate his gold medal-winning team, but in Presley and Young, he found exactly what he was looking for. Gerald Presley, a cadet at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, was a brilliant all-round athlete. He excelled in track as a sprinter, and was also a capable hockey and football player. Michael Young was a business administration student at Western University. Though only 21 years old, he was also an accomplished athlete and an ideal choice for a teammate. Presley and Young proved to be a perfect fit. At the 1965 world championships in St. Moritz, the Canadians won three of their four runs at the championships, claiming the top prize once more over the scoffing Europeans. In addition, Emery and Young claimed a bronze medal in the two-man event. Their gold medal victory was especially significant, for, as Vic Emery said, "You're not real champions unless you can do it a second time." Emery, Kirby, Presley, and Young confirmed that Canada is indeed a worthy contender in the world of bobsledding and paved the way for the development of a national bobsledding program. Emery and Kirby had previously been inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1964 following their Olympic triumph, while Presley and Young joined them in 1965.