On November 4, 2010 help celebrate three women who have given so much to amateur sport in BC at IN HER FOOTSTEPS…CELEBRATING BC WOMEN IN SPORT.
The annual event is a joint initiative of the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, 2010 Legacies Now, ProMOTION Plus, and the BC Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health. Launched in 2005, the program recognizes extraordinary achievements and contributions by women to sport in British Columbia.
As the event approaches, Just for the Sport of It will profile each of the three women scheduled to be recognized at this year’s ceremony, starting with athlete, coach, and longtime builder of BC sport, Diane Clement.
Growing up in New Brunswick, Diane Clement was an all-round athlete who ran for the Moncton Olympic Track Club. At the 1954 Canadian Olympic Training program in Toronto, she successfully broke both Canadian records in the 100 and 220 yard dash. In 1956, Clement competed at the Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia in the 100 and 220 yard dash, and 440 yard relay and became the first New Brunswick male or female athlete to compete in the Summer or Winter Olympics.
She moved to Vancouver in 1957 to train for the Commonwealth Games and in 1958 won a bronze medal for the 440 yard relay at the Cardiff, Wales Commonwealth Games. In 1959, she became the first woman to coach the University of British Columbia’s women’s track team.
Clement has been involved in five other Summer Olympic Games in roles that include sprinter, team manager and media liaison. She was the president of Athletics Canada from 1973 to 1976 and the Host Country President for the 1976 Summer Games in Montreal.
With her husband, Doug, she co-founded the Richmond Kajaks Track and Field Club, one of the strongest track and field clubs in Canada and also co-founded the famed Vancouver Sun Run and the Achilles International Track and Field Society, which is now one of the top 10K Road Races in the world.
In the past 50 years, Diane has contributed to sport as a coach, manager, official and administrator. She continues to devote her time to the promotion and development of sport across the country and is truly an example of an outstanding mentor and role model.
- With contribution from ProMOTION Plus. For more details on the event, or to purchase tickets visit www.promotionplus.org.
