Surrounded by her loved ones, Annie Martin shared beautiful moments tonight as Volleyball Canada inducted the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023 at the Women’s Continental Volleyball Championship held in Quebec.
Her 5th place finish in beach volleyball at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens with Guylaine Dumont is to date the best Canadian result among women.
“It warms my heart and it is a great recognition that I receive tonight,” said Martin. More than our result at the Games, this award represents the perseverance and dedication I have put in throughout my career. There were highs like the Olympics, but also lows that required a lot of perseverance.”
Well surrounded for this special evening
On this very special evening, Martin was surrounded by Dumont, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame several years ago; his partner at the 2012 London Olympics, Marie-Andrée Lessard; his coach and spouse Vincent Larivée; his father and his sister.
“They say it takes a village to raise a child, but it takes so many people to develop an athlete,” she said. Guylaine, Marie-Andrée and Vincent were very special people in my development. Even before he became my spouse, Vincent was my fitness trainer in high school. There’s also my sister Geneviève, who introduced me to volleyball.”
Martin remembers the excitement their performance generated in Greece. “There were people who thought we won a medal because there was so much media coverage,” she said. It was the big moment of my career.”
Together with Lessard, Martin finished 19th in London. On the Canadian scene, she has five national titles to her name, including three with Dumont in 2002, 2003 and 2004 and one with Lessard.
Indoor volleyball
Before turning to the beach, Martin had a successful college career in indoor volleyball. She won the national title with the University of Sherbrooke’s Vert & Or in 2000 and 2005.
“It was my stepping stone to the national beach team,” she explained. During my university career we also won a silver medal and placed 4th nationally.”
Although she has not been running the Vert & Or since 2023, Martin is still dedicated to volleyball. She coaches Quebec’s beach volleyball teams and believes the next generation is interesting.
Barcelona 1992 Olympian Kent Greves, coaches Doug Reimer and Laurie Eisler and referee Pat Thorne were also honored.