Marie-Ève Drolet
A Canadian speed skater whose career spanned over a decade, bookended by Olympic relay medals twelve years apart.
Born 1982 (age 44)·Short-track speed skater·Birthday: February 3·Millennials
Biography
Marie-Ève Drolet's story in short track speed skating is one of remarkable longevity and resilience. She first burst onto the international scene as a junior world champion, a promise she fulfilled by winning an Olympic bronze in the relay at her first Games in Salt Lake City in 2002. Then, in a move that stunned the sport, she stepped away. For five years, she pursued education and a different life, only to feel the pull of the ice again. Her comeback was the stuff of legend: she retrained her body, fought her way back onto the national team, and, at the age of 31, raced in the 2014 Sochi Olympics. There, she helped the Canadian women's relay team clinch a silver medal, a triumphant capstone to a career defined by an unwavering competitive spirit.
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.
Marie-Ève was born in 1982, 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 Marie-Ève Was Born
The biggest hits of 1982
#1 Movie
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Best Picture
Gandhi
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Marie-Ève's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1982Born
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1987Started school
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1995Became a teenager
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Could drive
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2000Could vote
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Turned 21
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
2012Turned 30
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 40
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 44 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won an Olympic bronze medal in the 3000m relay at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games.
- Returned to win an Olympic silver medal in the 3000m relay at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games after a five-year retirement.
- Won the overall World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championship title in both 2000 and 2001.
Did You Know?
She retired from skating in 2003 to study acupuncture, returning to competition in 2008.
She is a certified acupuncturist and owned her own clinic.
Her sister, Amélie Drolet, is also a former short track speed skater.
“I came back to the ice because the race wasn't finished for me.”
