Rob Snoek (born 1969) is a Canadian sports broadcaster and former athlete, who was a Canadian Screen Award nominee for Best Sports Play-by-Play at the 10th Canadian Screen Awards in 2022 for his work as a member of the CBC Sports broadcast team at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[1]

Rob Snoek
Personal information
Born1969 (age 54–55)
Orono, Ontario, Canada
Sport
Country Canada
SportParalympic athletics
Disability classT44
Medal record
Paralympic athletics
Representing  Canada
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 1998 Birmingham 100m T44
Bronze medal – third place 1998 Birmingham 200m T44

A native of Orono, Ontario, Snoek's lower left leg was amputated at age one due to a congenital bone disease.[2] He was a competitor in amputee athletics events, most notably at the 1992 Summer Paralympics,[2] the 1996 Summer Paralympics[3] and the 2000 Summer Paralympics.[4] He was a bronze medalist at the paralympic edition of the World Athletics Championships in 1998.[5]

After his retirement from competitive sport he moved into broadcasting as a play-by-play announcer for Ontario Hockey League games, first for the Oshawa Generals on CKDO,[6] and later for Peterborough Petes games on CJMB-FM.[7] He first joined the CBC's Olympic team in 2002, covering a variety of both main Olympic and Paralympic events.[8]

He was inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame in 2017.[9]

References edit

  1. ^ Brent Furdyk, "2022 Canadian Screen Award Nominees Announced, ‘Sort Of’ & ‘Scarborough’ Lead The Pack". ET Canada, February 15, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Tom Jokic, "Disabled competitor wants to be treated like any other athlete". Toronto Star, August 30, 1992.
  3. ^ "132 athletes named to Canadian team". Hamilton Spectator, June 18, 1996.
  4. ^ "Paralympians assume spotlight". The Daily Gleaner, October 18, 2000.
  5. ^ "Three golds for Canada". St. Catharines Standard, August 14, 1998.
  6. ^ Brian McNair, "Say it ain't so: no Generals on the radio this season". Oshawa This Week, September 16, 2010.
  7. ^ Mike Davies, "Rob Snoek replaced as Petes radio play-by-play announcer". Peterborough Examiner, June 19, 2019.
  8. ^ Alison Korn, "Athletes to bolster CBC's coverage". Toronto Sun, June 27, 2008.
  9. ^ "Clarington native Rob Snoek inducted into Canadian Disability Hall of Fame". Oshawa This Week, October 27, 2017.