Michelle Stilwell of Canada shows off the Canadian flag after winning gold in the women's 100m T52 final during the Parapan American Games in Toronto on Tuesday, August 11, 2015. Stilwell will be inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2025. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette)

By Alex Rawnsley

champion

Parksville Paralympian awarded Canada’s highest sporting honour

Jun 7, 2025 | 12:31 PM

PARKSVILLE — She conquered the track and the court during a glittering athletic career, and now a local athlete is being recognized at the highest level.

Michelle Stilwell, a multi-time Paralympic gold medalist in athletics and wheelchair basketball, was named to Canada’s sports hall of fame on Tuesday, June 3, by way of receiving the Order of Sport.

Stilwell will be inducted alongside fellow Olympians Christine Sinclair (soccer), Kevin Martin (curling), and Erik Guay (alpine skiing), in addition to softball player Darren Zack, hockey coach Ted Nolan and sports administrator Martha Billes.

“It’s not just going in with this class, an incredible honor to go in with such incredible trailblazers that are in the Hall of Fame, but when you think that there are only 758 people who are recognized in the hall, over 40 million people living in Canada, and I am going to be the 18th Paralympian. That’s certainly not lost on me.”

Stilwell captured six gold and one silver medal, including five on the track, across Paralympics in Sydney (2000), Beijing (2004), London (2008) and Rio de Janeiro (2016).

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She told NanaimoNewsNOW the honour of the Order carries a lot of weight alongside her athletic accomplishments.

“When we’re out there being the athlete, we’re pretty focused on what we’re trying to achieve. But for me, it’s also been about being a voice and an advocate for the growth of Paralympic movement for accessibility, for inclusivity. I think these honours and recognitions are just really about continuing to show up, to being a leader, and making sure that we’re having an impact on future generations.”

She added Canada has come a long way during her career, but more still needs to be done to ensure sport is accessible for all, and para-sports are treated with the same commitment as their Olympic counterparts.

“It’s something that I will always speak up for and fight for. Even when we look at the announcement that came out this week, all the press releases and all the news that came out and announced the three Olympians in their headlines, and didn’t mention my name in the headline. It’s fine, I was in the article, I’m still getting in the Hall of Fame, but those are the steps we need to continue to make.”

Stilwell and her fellow inductees will be honoured at a ceremony in Gatineau, Quebec, on Oct. 29.

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