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Sandra Henderson

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Préfontaine and Henderson lighting the Olympic Flame

Sandra James (née Henderson c. 1960)[1] is a former Canadian gymnast best known for co-lighting the Olympic Flame with Stéphane Préfontaine at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. She appeared on the front page of Sports Illustrated.

Sandra Henderson tried out for the Olympic gymnastics team at the age of 16 to compete in the 1976 Summer Games, but did not make it due to injuries. She retired from gymnastics in 1977 but continued competing at the university level when she was a student at the University of Toronto.[2]

1980 Olympics

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At the beginning of the 1980 Summer Olympics Henderson, along with Stéphane Préfontaine, were given the task of delivering the Olympic flag from Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau to Lord Killanin in Moscow. Historically the Olympic flag was passed from host city mayor to the next host city mayor, but Canada was one of 64 countries that boycotted the games that year.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Andy Riga (July 15, 2016) Montreal Olympics photo flashback: torch bearers made history. Montreal Gazette.
  2. ^ a b Pickering woman recalls 1976 flame. durhamregion.com. December 16, 2009
Olympic Games
Preceded by Final Olympic torchbearer
Montreal 1976
With: Stéphane Préfontaine
Succeeded by
Charles Morgan Kerr
Preceded by
Günther Zahn
Final Summer Olympic torchbearer
Montreal 1976
With: Stéphane Préfontaine
Succeeded by