Derek Drouin
A high jump technician from Canada who soared to Olympic gold with a steely consistency, mastering the moment when the bar reached its highest point.
Born 1990 (age 36)·Canadian track and field athlete·Birthday: March 6·Millennials
Biography
Derek Drouin approached the high jump with the calm precision of an engineer. Hailing from Corunna, Ontario, his career was built not on flamboyance but on remarkable consistency at major championships. He announced himself to the world by winning bronze at the 2012 London Olympics, a medal later upgraded to silver. From there, he assembled a complete set of global medals: world championship bronze in 2013, gold in 2015, and Commonwealth and Pan American golds. The apex came in Rio in 2016. In a tense, rainy final, Drouin cleared 2.38 meters to claim Olympic gold, becoming Canada's first high jump champion since 1932. His technique was a model of efficiency—a controlled approach and powerful takeoff that made clearing staggering heights look routine. Drouin's legacy is one of clutch performance, peaking when the lights were brightest and the bar was at its limit.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Derek was born in 1990, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Derek Was Born
The biggest hits of 1990
#1 Movie
Home Alone
Best Picture
Dances with Wolves
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Derek's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1990Born
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1995Started school
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2003Became a teenager
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Could drive
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2008Could vote
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2011Turned 21
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2020Turned 30
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 36 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the gold medal in the high jump at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
- Became the World Champion in the high jump at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.
- Completed a 'full set' of Olympic medals, having also won silver in 2012 and a world championship bronze in 2013.
Did You Know?
He is one of only a handful of high jumpers to have cleared 2.40 meters (7 ft 10.5 in) indoors.
Drouin competed for Indiana University in the NCAA, where he won multiple national titles.
A serious ankle injury in 2018 ultimately led to his decision to retire from competition in 2021.
“I've always been a competitor. I love the pressure.”
