Known to the world as the "Man in Motion" Rick Hansen has returned from an incredible 2 years, 34 countries and 25,000 miles wheeling around the world to raise money for spinal cord research.

Rick's budding career as an athlete was cut short at age 15, when a truck accident left him paralyzed in both legs. He overcame his devastating loss of movement however, by using his wheelchair to play sports again.

He led the Vancouver Cable Cars wheelchair basketball team to 5 national championships in 6 years. He has won 19 international marathons and set Canadian and World Records in wheelchair races in track & field.

He was awarded the National Disabled Athlete of the Year in 1979, 1980 and 1982 and shared Canada's Outstanding Athlete of the Year Award with Wayne Gretzky in 1983.

Apart from competition, Rick tirelessly promotes awareness of disabled athletes. He is the Ambassador for Canadian wheelchair athletes and with his goal of 10 million dollars for spinal cord research attained. Rick Hansen received the WAC Bennett award and was inducted into the BC and UBC Sports Halls of Fame in 1987.

Thelma Wright's compelling and impressive international track career began at age 17 when she represented Canada for the first time at the 1969 World Cross Country Championships in Scotland, and later that year at the Pan Pacific Games in Tokyo.

In 1970 Wright next went on to win Bronze medals in both the World Cross Country and the Commonwealth Games at 1500m. Thelma represented Canada at both the ‘72 Munich and ‘76 Montreal Olympic Games in the1500m and won another Bronze medal at the ‘74 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch.

By the end of 1974 Wright was ranked in the top 15 in the world in both 1500m and 3000m (the newly recognized longest event for women). Perhaps her single greatest performance was the Silver Medal 3000m run at the ‘75 World FISU Games in Rome. Her time of 8:54.9 ranked her 5th in the World. A Silver medal in the Pan Am 1500m later that year and winning the Canadian Cross Country Title 7 times in the ‘70’s are also career highlights.

Thelma graduated from UBC with a BPE, was named BC and Canadian University Track Athlete of the Year in ‘74 and was inducted into the UBC Hall of Fame in 1993.

Wright has been an active coach for over 20 years: her most notable success was coaching Lynn Williams (1999 Inductee) to a Bronze Medal in the ‘84 Olympic 3000m and a Gold at the ‘86 Commonwealth Games. For this she received Coaching Excellence Awards from the Coaching Association of Canada and BC Athletics Coach of the Year title in ‘84. In 1987 she was honoured with a YWCA Women of Distinction Award.

As an endurance athlete, Wright was ahead of her time and she has continued to give her energy and enthusiasm back to the sport that has meant so much to her. Twenty five years later her times still rank her as one of Canada’s all time top 3000m runners.

Doug Clement has brought a high level of excellence and enthusiasm to the sport of track and field and the field of sports medicine.

During Doug Clement’s academic days in Oregon, he continued to display his prowess on the track. In 1952, he represented Canada at the Helsinki Olympic Games in the 4 x 400 meter relay team. Two years later, at the British Empire Games, he was part of the team that proudly brought home a silver medal.

Under the inspiring influence and guidance of Bill Bowerman, his track coach and later the founder of Nike, Clement chose to study medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC), following his Bachelor of Science degree from Oregon.

After practicing general medicine for twenty years and being driven by his unyielding intrigue, Clement later researched sports-related medical issues and problems. Findings from his research and medical case studies were instrumental to the emergence of sport medicine in Canada.

Dr. Clement has been an active coach in track, and a renowned author. Many of his athletes can credit their participation and top titles from such prestigious sport event as the Olympic Games, Common-wealth Games, and World Championships, to his motivational coaching style and guidance. For seven years he served as a team physician for the Vancouver Canucks.

His many achievements have been commemorated with acclaims and awards. The Logmes Wittauer Award, Sports Medicine Council Lifetime Achievement Award and the Order of Canada are just a few that represent how much he is honoured by the public and the sports community.