Speedster Stilwell up for two major national awards

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Ex-Winnipegger Michelle Stilwell won gold and silver at the 2012 Parlympics. (AP ARCHIVES)

MICHELLE STILWELL, Canada's golden wheelchair racer is a finalist for two major Athletics Canada awards.

The former Winnipegger, who lives in Nanoose Bay, B.C., is up for the Cal D. Bricker Memorial Trophy for the single most outstanding performance of the year and for the Outstanding Para-Athlete of the Year Wheelchair Award.

The winners of all 12 awards for 2012 will be announced on Wednesday with winners to be honoured during the 2013 Canadian Championships at Moncton.

The finalists and winners are selected by Athletics Canada's Awards committee from nominations made by members.

Stilwell won gold and set a Paralympic record in the women's T52 200 metres race at the 2012 Paralympics in London.

For the Bricker award, Stilwell is up against high jumper Derek Drouin of Corunna, Ont. and decathlete Damian Warner of London, Ont.

Drouin won bronze in men's high jump at the 2012 Olympics, which was Canada's first Olympic high jump medal since 1976, while Warner placed a personal-best fifth at the 2012 Olympics.

Stilwell also won silver in the women's T52 100m at the 2012 Paralympics.

Hoops players invited

WINNIPEG'S Emily Potter, 18, and Kyanna Giles, 14, are among 43 athletes invited to Canada Basketball's female under-16 and under-19 assessment camp Dec. 18-22.

The U19 women's national team will compete at the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship for Women in Lithuania on July 18-28.

The U16 women's national team will be competing this summer at the FIBA Americas Championship for Women at a date yet to be determined.

Good 'Toba's top judo ref

Milton Good, 55, of Stonewall has become the highest-ranked judo referee in Manitoba after he earned the International Judo Federation A-level officiating status at the Korean World Cup at Jeju, South Korea Dec. 6-7.

Good, a fifth-degree Black Belt, is the Chief Referee for Manitoba and has been operating the Balmoral Judo Club for the past 35 years.

Good's A-level status now qualifies him to officiate judo at World and Olympic levels.

Lacrosse backbones

WINNIPEG'S Joey Harris, Glen Henkewich, Bruce Paton and Tom Parker are among 55 members of the Canadian Lacrosse Association to receive the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal.

In a press release, the CLA stated the 55 individuals are being honoured as "the backbone of Canadian lacrosse; they are the volunteers, the builders of our sport, administrators, coaches, and players."

Wesmen net setter

UNIVERSITY of Winnipeg women's volleyball head coach Diane Scott has received a commitment from Natasha Rupa, a 5-foot-8 setter from Shoal Lake, to join the Wesmen for the 2013-2014 Canada West volleyball season next fall.

Rupa, an honour roll student, was named a Manitoba Volleyball Association Graduating All-Star following her 2012 season with the Shoal Lake Sharks.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 15, 2012 0