They are affectionally known in the track and field fraternity as Mama C and Dr. Doug. Now both will soon be members of the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame.
Diane Clement will officially join her husband Doug when the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame’s 50th Annual Banquet of Champions takes place next Thursday at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre. Clement is part of a 2016 class that includes Steve Nash, Wally Buono, Carl Valentine and Allison MacNeill. Her husband — Dr. Doug Clement was inducted back in 2000.
“When they announced my selection it was mentioned they noticed how lonely Doug was by himself in the hall and they thought I had to join him,” laughed Diane. “To be going in with the likes of Steve Nash, Wally Buono, Arthur Griffiths and so on is such an honour.”
The Clements have made a significant impact on athletics in Richmond — founding the Kajaks Track and Field Club back in 1961.
“Doug was interning in San Francisco at the time and was going to go to Stanford for his speciality when his family needed him back home,” recalled Clement who represented Canada at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne as a sprinter. “There was no sports medicine at the time, just general practice. He found an opening at a practice in Richmond.
“Back then, there was 25,000 people living here. Doug did house calls to farms and the only hospital was in Vancouver.”
The Clements were approached by the municipality about the possibility of starting a track and field club in Richmond.
“They basically said if we started a club they would build us a track. As former Olympians, we had received so much and thought we would love to give back to the community,” Clement continued. “It started as a cinder track, then all-weather. The grandstand and clubhouse were eventually built.”
The Kajaks would go on to become one of the leading track clubs in the country, producing 50 Olympians and still going strong today. The Minoru 400-metre oval would later be renamed Clement Track.
When the club needed to raise money in its infant years, the Clements, along with Carl Savage and Kim Young came up with the idea to host a provincial meet for elementary students. The 48th annual competition took place last weekend where the four were honoured by the club and the city.
“It’s neat to see the history and just how whole track fraternity at the club has continued the legacy, which makes us so proud today,” said Clement.
She turns 80 later this year and is active as ever.
The Clements are not only the main organizers of the upcoming 33rd annual Harry Jerome Classic, they promote track and field in B.C. like no others. It’s those decades of involvement, including four other Olympics in a variety of support roles, that have led to remarkable stories and meeting some of the biggest names in the sport.
It was back in the spring of 1975 when Clement welcomed American star distance runner Steve Prefontaine to the the couple’s home on Granville Avenue.
“He was up here from Eugene with his team that included some European runners and I served him my strawberry shortcake in our living room,” recalled Clement. “About a week later he competed at a meet back in Oregon and was killed in a car crash coming home from a post-meet party. I remember at the time thinking he was just at our house.”
The Prefontaine Classic, named in the late runner’s honour, is now considered one of the elite track meets in the world.
