Gwen Wall-Ridout

Athlete (1995)

Track and Field

Gwen Wall Ridout was born in Saskatoon in January, 1963, had an early interest in track and as early as Grade 3, was a member of a 4x100 metre relay city championship team. Gwen won a Saskatoon elementary school 800 metres in record time in Grade 8 and was a standout in high school, only once ever losing a hurdles event at the provincial level.

She was a member of four Canada West championship teams, with coach Lyle Sanderson, set five Canada West records and was the only person ever to win the Ethel Catherwood trophy four times. She was also Canadian Intercollegiate hurdles champion five times and won five other medals.

Gwen won the Canadian hurdles championship four times and with the help of coach Brian Clark, started to make an impact on international teams. She made the British Commonwealth teams in 1982 and 1986, getting a fourth at Edinburgh in 1986. Twice she represented Canada at the Pan-American Games, winning bronze in the 400 metres and a silver with the relay team in Venezuela in 1983 and also competing at Indianapolis in 1987. One of her greatest races was at the World Student Games in Edmonton in 1983 where she won a bronze medal and set a Canadian record of 56.10 seconds, which stood for nine years.

Gwen has won the Saskatchewan athlete of the month award, athlete of the year award, two Saskatchewan government achievement awards. She broke more than 15 Saskatchewan records, the Canadian junior 400 metre hurdles record three times and has broken 11 Canadian senior records.