Theo Dubois
Encyclopedia
Theo Alfred Dubois was a champion rower from Winnipeg
, Manitoba
, Canada
. He was born in Brussels
, Belgium
.
In 1939, he won the United States and Canadian doubles amateur rowing championships, teaming with Albert Riley. This qualified them for the 1940 Olympics, which were however cancelled due to the outbreak of World War II.
In 1940 in singles competition, he finished second to American Joe Burk in both the U.S. and Canadian championships. Dubois was looking forward to a rematch in 1941, but Burk turned professional. Dubois won the U.S. and Canadian amateur titles in 1941 and was awarded the Lou Marsh Trophy
as Canada's top athlete of the year. He was the first athlete from Western Canada
to win the award.
In 1948 he won the Canadian Association of Amateur Oarsman (CAAO) qualifying singles race for the Olympics. However the Canadian Olympian selection committee decided that he was too old to represent his country. In the 1948 Summer Olympics
, the eventual gold medal winning time was slower than Dubois' time in the qualifying race.
Dubois was a long-time member and coach at the Winnipeg Rowing Club, where he was made honorary president in 1978. He was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
in 1981.
Outside of sports, Dubois graduated with a bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Manitoba
and became a professional architect. He worked as a planning examiner in Winnipeg.
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was born in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
In 1939, he won the United States and Canadian doubles amateur rowing championships, teaming with Albert Riley. This qualified them for the 1940 Olympics, which were however cancelled due to the outbreak of World War II.
In 1940 in singles competition, he finished second to American Joe Burk in both the U.S. and Canadian championships. Dubois was looking forward to a rematch in 1941, but Burk turned professional. Dubois won the U.S. and Canadian amateur titles in 1941 and was awarded the Lou Marsh Trophy
Lou Marsh Trophy
The Lou Marsh Trophy, also known as the Lou Marsh Memorial Trophy and Lou Marsh Award, is a trophy that is awarded annually to Canada's top athlete, professional or amateur. It is awarded by a panel of journalists, with the vote taking place in December. It was first awarded in 1936...
as Canada's top athlete of the year. He was the first athlete from Western Canada
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
to win the award.
In 1948 he won the Canadian Association of Amateur Oarsman (CAAO) qualifying singles race for the Olympics. However the Canadian Olympian selection committee decided that he was too old to represent his country. In the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
, the eventual gold medal winning time was slower than Dubois' time in the qualifying race.
Dubois was a long-time member and coach at the Winnipeg Rowing Club, where he was made honorary president in 1978. He was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
The Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, dedicated to the history of sport in Manitoba and honouring the best in sport. The organization began in 1980 and in 1993, a museum was opened in The Forks...
in 1981.
Outside of sports, Dubois graduated with a bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
and became a professional architect. He worked as a planning examiner in Winnipeg.