Since 1966, the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame has inducted 243 Ottawa athletes in their Hall of Fame, of which 35 are women. I would like to thank Sue Kavanagh at the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for her help with this research!
1966
Anne Heggtveit born in Ottawa in 1939; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of skiing; at age seven won Gatineau Zone senior women's slalom; at age 15, became youngest-ever winner in the half-century history of the Holmenkollen giant slalom in Norway;
first Canadian to win in Olympic ski competition at Squaw Valley in '60; was Canadian Female Athlete of year 1959-60 and won Lou Marsh Trophy top Canadian athlete 1960; is a Member of Order of Canada.
Barbara Ann Scott born in Ottawa in 1928; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of figure skating; learned her figure skating at Ottawa Minto Club; was Canadian senior women’s champion (1944-48), North American champions (1945-48) and won European title, World title, and Olympic title; was also World title holder in 1947 at age 18. Canada’s Athlete of the Year in 1945, 1947 and 1948. Turned pro with Hollywood Ice Review 1949-54. Member of World and Canadian Figure Skating Halls of Fame and Officer of the Order of Canada.
1967
Alexa Stirling Fraser born in Atlanta Georgia in 1897; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of golf; came to Ottawa after being rated one of the world’s greatest golfers; won at least a dozen golf titles, mostly in the 1920s and 1930s.
Shirley Laura Thomas born in Ottawa in 1928; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of equestrian; was a world famous rider in horse shows on this continent and in Europe; first red ribbon in Toronto Pony Show at 12;
first woman rider ever chosen to represent Canada (1951);
first female rider to claim international class honours at Madison Square Garden.
1983
Elizabeth Clifford born in Ottawa in 1953; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of skiing; was a Canadian junior champion at age 12, senior champion at 13, youngest ever in Olympics at 14, and youngest to win a world title at 16, winning the giant slalom at Val Gardena, Italy in 1970. Won many international events as well as the Canadian Giant Slalom eight times.
1984
Sheryl Boyle born in Renfrew in 1965; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of paddling; began competitive canoeing at 19 and a national team member in 1986; claimed the national whitewater kayak championship title in 1993 and 1994 and became the
first woman to win World Cup whitewater medals, a silver in 1992 and bronze in 1993. Competed in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics and then turned to coaching in 1997.
Patricia Marilynn Messner born in Hamilton, Ontario in 1953; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of waterskiing;
first Canadian woman to win World Waterskiing Slalom championship in 1979; won Waterskiing Slalom Masters in 1978, silver medal in 1977 and 1980 World Cup Championships as well as many Canadian and North American titles. Canada's
first and only Olympic medalist in waterskiing. Currently runs the
Mesle Canada Water Ski School in Ottawa.
1986
Sue Holloway born in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1955; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of canoeing; versatile athlete who represented Canada in Olympic cross-country skiing and canoeing; member of the Rideau Canoe Club, earned silver and bronze medals in 1984 Olympics in canoeing;
first woman to compete (placed third) in Hawaii outrigger race in 1979.
Linda Mary Alice Malcolm Thom born in Hamilton, Ontario in 1943; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of shooting; represents Canada internationally since 1970, established handgun records and won a variety of national, North American, world shooting awards. Held up to 16 Ontario records, two Canadian standards and two French marks.
First woman to win sport pistol gold medal in 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
1987
Hélène Madeleine Grégoire born in Hull, Québec in 1943; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of waterskiing; won her first major title at age 16; was a member of the national team from 1970-77, won 10 national titles and six gold medals in Can-Am competitions; participated in one World Cup event, one Pan-Am Games and three World Championships.
1988
Lynn Nightingale born in Hamilton, Ontario in 1956; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of figure skating; was Canadian senior champion for four years: 1974-77; won Skate Canada competition in 1973-74, Prague Skate in 1973, Moscow Skate in 1974; placed ninth in 1976 Olympics; turned pro with Ice Capades in 1977 and remained with them until 1982; was Canadian Ladies Pro Champion in 1981.
Ann A. Peel born in Ottawa, Ontario in 1961; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of race walking; dominated Canadian women’s race walking in the 1980s; held four national 5-km and one 10-km titles; won medals at Pan-Am and World University Games, World Indoor championships and America’s Cup meet; holds national indoor 3,000-metre record in sprint walking; instrumental in Canadian lobbying efforts to have women’s event included in 1990 Commonwealth and 1992 Olympic Games.
Glenda Reiser born in Ottawa, Ontario in 1955; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of running; former member of Uplands Harriers; set the Canadian open record of 4:06.71 for 1500 metres while competing in the 1972 Olympics in Munich; won three national titles at this distance and won the gold medal at the 1974 Commonwealth Games.
1990
Linda Carbonetto born in New York City in 1949; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of figure skating; won 1969 Canadian Women's Championship after placing second in 1968; was third in North American and sixth in World Championships in 1969; competed in 1968 Olympics; turned pro 1970 and became featured skater with Ice Capades through 1972.
1992
Elizabeth Ann Manley born in Belleville, Ontario in 1965; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of figure skating; member of 1984 and 1988 Canadian Olympic and world championship figure skating teams; won silver medal 1988 Calgary Olympics; Canadian champion in 1985, 1987 and 1988;
first woman in Canada to land a triple combination in competition; named Woman of the Year by Chatelaine magazine (1988); turned pro with Ice Capades in 1988.
1993
Anna Rose Fraser-Sproule born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1963; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of skiing; six years member national free-style ski team; twice national aerials and combined champion; winner of five World Cup aerials gold medals; won World Cup Grand Prix aerials championship 1986; placed fourth in aerials in 1988 Calgary Olympics.
Dr. Penny Christine Werthner-Bales born in Ottawa, Ontario in 1951; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for athletics; represented Canada in two Commonwealth, two Pan-Am, one Olympic, and one FISU Games; set world 1,000-metre record and earned bronze medals in 800 metres at 1971 Pan-Am Games and in 1,500 metres at the 1978 Commonwealth and 1979 Pan-Am Games; named outstanding Canadian track athlete 1978.
1994
Barbara Caswell McLeod born in North Bay, Ontario in 1937; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of fame for the sport of running; set a myriad of national and world age group records and winning road races throughout Canada and the world since 1981; claimed the world masters championship; considered a trailblazer for Canada's women runners.
Janet Katherine Morrissey born in Ottawa in 1959; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of figure skating; won the Eastern Ontario Juvenile ladies skating title at age 11; capped her figure skating career with the national senior championship in 1979; won medals in St. Gervais and Nebelhorn events.
1995
Gail Amundrud born in Toronto, Ontario in 1957; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of swimming; began competitive swimming career with Ottawa Kingfish in 1967; moved to Vancouver Dolphins in 1974; first Canadian female to swim 100-metre freestyle in under one minute and 200–metre freestyle in under two minutes; represented Canada in Commonwealth, Pan-Am, World and Olympic Games, winning medals in each; set 10 national records and was a four-time all-American at Arizona State, winning gold in US Nationals in 200-metre freestyle (1977).
Deborah Ellen Huband born in Ottawa, Ontario in 1956; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of basketball; adept in swimming, softball, track and field, volleyball, touch football, and basketball; member of Canada's national women's basketball team for more than a decade; competed in the Olympics, guard with the 1980 Jones Cup gold medal squad; recipient of seven school athlete of the year awards, CIAU MVP, all-star honours, and Bishop's University academic awards.
1998
Judy Elizabeth Dietiker Davison born in Manchester, England in 1956; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for her contribution to sport; held various age-level speed skating titles, 1970-1994, as well as Ont. outdoor closed (mass start) 1500m record; Canadian national team member at competitions in Holland and China; Canadian road champion in cycling, 1973, and track champion, 1974; set world record of 1000m cycling at Montreal Velodrome, 1980.
2000
Marjorie Blackwood born in Karachi, Paskistan in 1957; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of tennis; won three Canadian tennis championships and captured 14 titles in Pro Tour Singles and Doubles play; World Tennis Association Top 50 player; third round Wimbledon 1982; Canada’s No. 1 player 1979-81.
2001
Dawn Ventura born in Ottawa, Ontario in 1940; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for her contribution to sport; was a catcher for senior softball teams from 1953 to 1963, a member of four Eastern Ontario senior title teams, two Ottawa interdepartmental league titles and third in six OCA divisional mixed title rinks; won the 1972 Lady Gilmour Lem Cushing trophy winners, runner up in 1973, and skipped the Ottawa Crystal Pebble grand aggregate title rink; holds eight Eastern Ontario ladies’ championships and two Ontario titles; member of the Ottawa RA Curling Club and the Rideau Curling Club; is a three-time RA curler of the year, twice the RA female athlete of the year, and twice the Ottawa ACT curling award winner.
2002
Alison Korn born in Ottawa, Ontario in 1970; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of rowing; was a member of the national women’s rowing team from 1996 to 2000; was part of the 1995 Head of the Charles coxed fours gold crew and claimed 1996 Olympic silver medal as part of the women’s eights; teamed with Emma Robinson to win the world pairs gold in 1997 and 1998 and a silver with the 1997 women’s world eights; was a member of the all-women’s ski trek to the North Pole in 2001, a feat she chronicled for the Ottawa Citizen.
2003
Isabelle Duchesnay born in Hull, Québec in 1963; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame (with her brother Paul) for the sport of figure skating; unable to meet their Olympic aspirations in Canada, took advantage of dual Canadian-French citizenship and competed for France internationally; Olympic participation in 1988 and 1992 where they earned dance silver; capped their careers with World championship gold in 1991.
Mary Haydon Provost born in Ottawa, Ontario in 1920; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of high jumping; excelled in long, broad and high jumping at a time when most young ladies were discouraged from participating in such strenuous pursuit; set a national junior high jump record in 1937 and was recognized the Amateur Athletic Union of Canada as a top prospect for the 1940 Olympics; was among the first to master the roll-over high jump technique and earned a variety of provincial and national laurels. Among the Ottawa Track Club founders, she later excelled in golf, basketball, bowling and curling and as a track official.
Heather Wallace born in Kitwe, Zambia in 1962; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of squash; began playing squash at 16 and claimed Rhodesian and South African titles; moving to Ottawa, quickly proved her dominance in the sport by running off a record 12 consecutive national singles titles; was undefeated by any Canadian woman from 1987 to 1998 while amassing more than 40 major championships in international competition; earned three gold medals in 1995 Pan-Am Games competition; frequently competed against and defeated her male counterparts in tournament play.
2005
Carol-Ann Alie born in Gracefield, Québec in 1960; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of boardsailing; honed her skills on the Ottawa River while a student at the University of Ottawa; wide variety of provincial, national and international honours, including three world Mistral windsurfer titles; earned Pan-American Games gold and two silver medals and represented Canada in three Olympic Games; Ottawa ACT Athlete of the Year in 1985; also received Canadian Yachting Association Athlete of the Year Awards and is a member of both the Canadian Amateur and Canadian Olympic Sports Halls of Fame.
Mariann Domonkos born in Budapest, Hungary in 1958; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of table tennis; developed her skills after moving to Ottawa as a youngster; wide array of provincial and national championships, including an unprecedented 10 successive national women's singles crowns; joined the national team in 1972 and earned Pan-Am Games gold in 1979; became the
first Canadian to win the National Open women's singles title in 1982; represented Canada in the 1988 Olympics; became a national team coach for the next decade and was inducted into the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame.
2006
Linda Jackson born in Montreal, Québec in 1958; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of cycling; received her MBA at Stanford; decided to pursue her dream as a top-flight competitive cyclist at the age of 32 where she experienced instant success; career highlights include a 5th place finish at the 1994 Women’s Tour de France and a 3rd place finish at the 1997 Tour de France.
Hazel Minor born in Outlook, Saskatchewan in 1935; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of fame for sports administration; after moving to Ottawa, formed the Nepean Amateur Basketball Association where she was president from 1970 –1983; founded the Ottawa Rookies League, was president of the National Capital Basketball Association and operated annual summer basketball training camps from 1976 –1988.
2009
Joan Hendry born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1945; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for her contribution to the sport of long jump; was a member of the Canadian 1968 Olympic and 1970 Commonwealth Games team; won two Commonwealth Games bronze medals in long jump and the 4x100 relay; was the only member of a Canadian team to win two medals; was the Canadian long jump champion in 1968, and the silver medalist in 1964, 1967 and 1969, and the bronze medalist in 1966; was the first Canadian woman to jump over 6 metres in the long jump.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Hendry
2010
Anne Merklinger born in London, Ontario in 1958; inducted in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for her contribution to multiple sports and sports leadership; had an impressive career in high-performance sport for over four decades as both an athlete and leader; was a member of Canada’s national swim team from 1977-81 then focused her athletic career on the curling rink, consistently ranking as one of Canada’s most distinguished women’s curlers, then turning to administration, began twenty years of management with national sport organizations including CanoeKayak Canada, the Commission for Inclusion of Athletes with a Disability and the Canadian Federation of Sport Organizations for the Disabled.
Shriely Moulds born in Ottawa in 1904; inducted posthumously in the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame for her contribution to sport; what set her apart from most women who grew up in the 1920’s was not the wide array of sports that she played - tennis, bowling, basketball, softball and hockey – but the proficiency that she displayed, particularly in hockey; played for the Ottawa Alerts from 1919-25, a team that won the Canadian Championship six times in those years; was captain of the Ottawa Rowing Club (later the Soloway Mills) Ladies Hockey team – Canadian Champions in 1927; a leading scorer for the Ottawa and District Champion Alerts Basketball team, played shortstop on the Rowing Club’s city and district champion softball team and was a top scorer on their championship basketball team. She was also a 3-time city champion in tennis in ’23-‘25 and a bowling champion in her 50’s.
For more information on these women and all inductees in the Ottawa Sports Hall of fame, please visit their website at www.ottawasportshalloffame.com
