Steve Caban (Athlete: Multi-sport Special Olympian)
Since the age of 10, Caban has competed in local, provincial, national and international competition in many sports: cross-country skiing, floor hockey, swimming, soccer, softball, basketball and 10-pin bowling.
He has travelled the world competing for Canada as an elite Special Olympian. He represented Canada at the 1999 World Special Olympics summer games in North Carolina winning three gold medals; the 2005 world winter games in Nagano, Japan, winning gold in the 5K x-country, 4th in the 1K and 5th in the 4x 1K relay; he medaled in the 2009 winter games in Boise, Idaho; and won bronze in x-country skiing at the 2013 winter games in Pyenongchang, South Korea.
Caban has medaled at many provincial and national winter and summer games. At the 2008 national winter games in Quebec City, he took home three cross-country skiing gold medals; in the 2016 national winter games in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, he won one silver and two bronze in cross-country skiing.
In 2023, Caban along with a number of other Peterborough Special Olympians won gold at the provincial qualifier swim meet in Pickering. In 2024, him and his Ontario team won silver in floor hockey at the national winter games in Calgary. He will be competing in swimming at the 2024 Ontario Spring Games in Waterloo.
Caban is one of Ontario’s most decorated Special Olympians. In 2017 he was awarded the Ontario Special Olympics Lifetime Achievement Award. He has also been recognized for his athletic achievements by the Government of Canada, Provincial Government and the City of Peterborough.
He is a successful athlete because of his talent and the hard work he puts into his training in order to qualify for national and world competition. One of Peterborough's most decorated athletes, Steve remains humble about his success and still enjoys playing many summer and winter sports.