Cyclist Curt Harnett certainly knew how to pedal to the medals. Over the course of his 14 years on a bike at the elite level, he reached the podium numerous times in Olympic, Commonwealth, and Pan-American events. Originally a contender for a spot in the Ontario Hockey League, Harnett cycled only to stay in shape during the off season; however, he soon fell in love with the sport and decisively left the rink in favour of the cycling track in 1982.

Harnett excelled in both the 1,000m time trial and the match sprint, a 750m race held on a 250m track. He represented Canada with distinction four times at the Olympic Games, claiming a silver medal in the 1,000m time trial in 1984, and two bronze medals in the match sprint in 1992 and 1996. Harnett made history when he broke the world record for the 200m time trial in 1995 in Bogota, Colombia. Averaging at a speed of nearly 73 km/h, he completed the course in an astounding 9.865 seconds, a record that still stands. Harnett's award collection also includes two match sprint silver medals from the 1990 and 1994 Commonwealth Games, as well as a gold 1,000m time trial medal and a bronze match sprint medal from the 1987 Pan American Games.

Since his retirement in 1996, Harnett has remained an active figure in the world of amateur sport. He has been involved with the Canadian Cycling Association, the Canadian Olympic Committee, and various charities including the Canadian Special Olympics. As a motivational speaker, Harnett draws on his own experiences to encourage young Canadians to pursue their goals and reach for their dreams.