Last night, Athletics Canada celebrated the induction of it’s newest Hall of Fame members. This included six members, four of which represent Ontario.
Athletics Canada Hall of Fame Class of 2017
Glenroy Gilbert, Athlete (Ottawa)
Jillian Richardson-Briscoe, Athlete (Mississauga)
Thelma Wright, Athlete (Vancouver)
Peter Manning, Coach (Belwood)
Judy Armstrong, Builder (Kamloops)
Andy McInnis, Builder (Ottawa)
Glenroy Gilbert, Athlete (Ottawa): 100m, 4x100m
A member of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame and the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame, Gilbert is a four-time summer Olympian (Seoul in 1988, Barcelona in 1992, Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000) and a member of the gold-medal winning 1996 men’s 4×100-metre relay team that included Donovan Bailey, Robert Esmie and Bruny Surin. Together, they held the Canadian 4×100-metre record of 37.69 seconds for 20 years. Gilbert’s athletics career also included two IAAF World Championships gold medals (1995 and 1997 in the 4x100m), a first-place finish at the Commonwealth Games (1994 – 4x100m) and two golds at the Pan American Games (1995 – 100m, 1999 – 4x100m).
Jillian Richardson-Briscoe, Athlete (Mississauga, Ont.): 400m and 4x400m
One of the most decorated Canadian athletes of her generation, Richardson-Briscoe represented Canada a three Olympic Games (Los Angeles in 1984, Seoul in 1988 and Barcelona in 1992). At the 1988 Games, Richardson-Briscoe established a new Canadian record in the 400-metres with a time of 49.91 in the semi-finals – a record that still stands today – but the highlight of her Olympic career was winning silver in 1984 in the women’s 4×400-metre relay alongside Charmaine Crooks, Molly Killingbeck and Marita Payne. Richardson-Briscoe won 18 national titles between 1982 and 1992 in the 200-metres, 400-metres, 4×100-metres and 4×400-metres. Her athletics career also included appearances at the IAAF World Championships (1983 – fourth, 1987 – two fourth place finishes), IAAF World Indoor Championships (1989 – bronze), Commonwealth Games (1982 – gold, 1986 – two silver medals), Pan American Games (1983 – silver, 1987 – two silver medals), Pan American Juniors (1982 – bronze, silver and gold) and the Jeux de la Franphonie (1989 – silver).
Peter Manning, Coach (Belwood, Ont.)
Peter Manning never personally ran in the Olympic Games or at the World Championships, but he prepared several athletes that did. The long-time coach led Rachelle Campbell, Margaret McGowan, Yvonne Saunders and Joyce Yakubowich to an eighth-place finish in the 4×400-metres at the 1976 Olympic Games setting a Canadian record. He also served as one of Canada’s sprint coaches that year, in addition to the 1984 Games in Los Angeles and 1988 Games in Seoul. Then in 1992, Manning was named Canada’s Head Sprint Coach for the Barcelona Games. Over the course of his nearly 60-year career, Manning coached many athletes to the Pan American Games and a myriad of other international events. In 1974, Manning was named Athletics Canada’s Coach of the Year.
Andy McInnis, Builder (Ottawa)
McInnis has dedicated his entire professional career to coaching athletes at every level of athletics. But it is his work off the track, that’s most impressive. As the Executive Director and Head Coach of the Ottawa Lions Track & Field Club, McInnis has created the largest athletics system of its kind in Canada, with more than 1,000 members and over 40 coaches. The club is constantly ranked among the top three clubs in Canada, with an annual operating budget of approximately $1 million. The club has produced more than 250 national team members and coaches in the past decade alone. During that time, McInnis has also created successful track and field programs at the University of Ottawa and Carleton University as their Head Coach. As a Level 5 Master Coach, McInnis guided Canada’s men’s 4×100-metre relay team to gold at the 1996 Olympic Games as Athletics Canada’s Head Coach. Following the Atlanta Games, McInnis took on the role of National Program Director, where he created a funding program for elite coaches, in addition to increasing the number of athletes eligible to receive federal support and the association’s budget due to its international success.
As the Hall of Fame was established to recognize individuals who have made a significant contribution to the development and growth of athletics, celebrate the success of a coach at the international or national level, and applaud the momentous accomplishments of an athlete or team, we congratulate these most recently selected individuals.
Photo courtesy of Athletics Canada.