Michael Ponikvar is an orthodontist in Belleville, Ontario and a former world-class track and field athlete from Canada, who is known for competing in the high jump.

This was also his first year competing internationally for the Canadian team as he won the gold medal in the high jump at the 1997 Pan American Junior Championships in Havana, Cuba and ranked #1 in the world for his age group (U19).

The next year he competed at the 1998 World Junior Championships where he jumped the same height as the winner but finished fourth on countback.

[3] He then competed for the Canadian nation team at the XVI Commonwealth Games that were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Again after injuries and surgery, this time to his back, Ponikvar was prevented from competing in the rest of the season and ultimately ended his jumping career.

After his first year at Denis Morris he remained undefeated throughout his entire high school career including at the national level.

Prone to injury, Ponikvar retired from track and field at the age of 22, one year before his senior season at Stanford University.