Deidra Dionne flies over the crowd on her first jump on her way to a bronze medal in women’s aerials at Deer Valley, Utah during the Winter Olympics, Mon., Feb. 18, 2002. (CP PHOTO/HO/COC/Mike Ridewood)

By Troy Gillard

Red Deer Olympian gets the call

Dionne elected to Alberta Sports Hall of Fame

Dec 5, 2019 | 6:09 PM

Five athletes, four builders and five award winners will join the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.

Among them is Red Deer native Deidra Dionne, who jumped her way to a bronze medal in freestyle aerial skiing at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Born in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Deidra’s skiing career took off – literally –when she moved with her family to Red Deer in 1982 and joined the Red Deer Freestyle Club at Canyon Ski Resort.

It wasn’t long before she began excelling on a provincial, national, and eventually, international stage. Her accomplishments are exceptional: silver at the 2008 Canadian Freestyle Championships, 2000 World Cup Freestyle Rookie of the Year, bronze medals at both the 2001 and 2003 World Championships, and a bronze medal in women’s aerials at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

Despite breaking her neck in a training accident in September 2005, Deidra battled back to compete at the 2006 Turin Olympics.

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The other athletes joining the Hall of Fame are former NHL hockey player Chris Phillips, chuckwagon driver Kelly Sutherland, and snowboard-cross Olympic silver medalist Michael Robertson.

This year’s builders being inducted into the hall of fame are Jan Ullmark (figure skating), Terry Morris (curling), Ken Babey (hockey) and Derek Douglas (soccer).

This year’s Alberta Sports Hall of Fame Award winners are Nancy Southern & Ian Allison (Bell Memorial Award), John Currie (Achievement Award), Stan Wakelyn (Pioneer Award, Soccer) and Dennis Kadatz (Legacy Award).

“We are proud to welcome these new Honoured Members into the Hall,” said Tracey Kinsella, Alberta Sports Hall of Fame Executive Director. “Their contributions to sport in our province are incredible and humbling. They have truly earned the right to have their names added to our Hall.”

The new Honoured Members will be officially welcomed on May 29, 2020 during the Induction Banquet at the Cambridge Red Deer Hotel and Conference Centre.