May 29, 2020 – OTTAWA – Commonwealth Sport Canada congratulates Judy Kent and Diane Jones Konihowski on the announcement of their induction into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. Kent is one of five inductees selected under the category of “Builder” for induction next year. Six athletes, including Commonwealth champion Diane Jones Konihowski will also be inducted in the Class of 2020/21. All Inductees will receive Canada’s highest sporting honour, the “Order of Sport”.

A 2006 recipient of the Commonwealth Sport Canada Award of Merit, Judy Kent has been guided by her powerful vision of sport as a vehicle for social change throughout her distinguished career as an athlete, coach, prolific author, consultant, and organizational leader. Among many “firsts”, she was the first female voting delegate to attend an Annual General Assembly of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), Commonwealth Games Canada’s first female president and the movement’s first female Chef de Mission at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria.  

Kent also led the charge to make the Commonwealth Games the first major international multi-sport event to include athletes with a physical disability in an integrated competition schedule. She has contributed expertise to many pioneering initiatives that use sport to address poverty, conflict and social issues in developing nations. Notably, she helped establish the Commonwealth Sport Development Program (CSDP), later known as International Development through Sport (IDP) and now SportWORKS, which continues to provide support for children and youth in various parts of the Commonwealth today.

“Judy’s impact on Commonwealth Sport and the world of sport in general has been phenomenal,” said Richard Powers, President of CSC. “From inclusion to gender equity to increased opportunities for indigenous athletes, she has been at the forefront of important social change in sport. Judy has been a true champion all of her life and we congratulate her on this very deserved honour, induction into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.”

Diane Jones Konihowski has left a lasting mark on Canadian sport over her 45 years as an athlete, coach, volunteer, administrator and journalist. Specializing in the pentathlon, she finished 10th at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich and 11^th at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. She won gold at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, as well as the 1975 and 1979 Pan American Games.

Winner in 1978 of the Bobbi Rosenfeld Trophy as Canadian Female Athlete of the Year as well as the Velma Springstead Trophy as Canada’s Outstanding Female Athlete, Konihowski was also named to the Order of Canada that same year. Since retiring as an athlete, she has worked in leadership positions with a number of high performance sport organizations and continues to contribute to her community in a variety of ways.

“Everyone remembers Diane Jones Konihowski for her dominance in pentathlon in the 1970’s,” said Richard Powers. “The 1978 Commonwealth champion in the pentathlon, she was ranked first in the world and was considered one of the greatest athletes of her time.  Many women who followed in her footsteps have acknowledged being inspired by Diane’s sporting accomplishments, and this induction into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame is very well deserved.”

Judy and Diane have made an extraordinary contribution to sport in Canada and Commonwealth Sport Canada applauds their induction into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. Congratulations Judy and Diane!

 For more information:

Commonwealth Sport Canada

Brian MacPherson

Chief Executive Officer

613.244.6868 x 226

brian@commonwealthsport.ca

ABOUT COMMONWEALTH SPORT CANADA

Commonwealth Sport Canada (CSC) is the franchise holder for the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth sport movement in Canada. CSC supports Canada’s athletes to achieve excellence at Olympic and Paralympic Games and world championships, enriches the lives of youth across the Commonwealth and hosts the Commonwealth Games. For additional information go to: www.commonwealthsport.ca.