Aileen Aletha Meagher (November 26, 1910 – August 2, 1987) was a Canadian

athlete An athlete is most commonly a person who competes in one or more sports involving physical strength, speed, power, or endurance. Sometimes, the word "athlete" is used to refer specifically to sport of athletics competitors, i.e. including track ...

who competed in the

1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XI Olympiad () and officially branded as Berlin 1936, were an international multi-sport event held from 1 to 16 August 1936 in Berlin, then capital of Nazi Germany. Berlin won the bid to ...

, sharing bronze in the 4×100 metres event. She was also a

painter Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...

Life

She was born and died in Halifax,

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...

. She joined the track team at

Dalhousie University Dalhousie University (commonly known as Dal) is a large public research university in Nova Scotia, Canada, with three campuses in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax, a fourth in Bible Hill, Nova Scotia, Bible Hill, and a second medical school campus ...

. She was Canadian record holder in the 100- and 220-yard events. In 1936 she was a member of the Canadian relay team which won the bronze medal in the 4×100 metres event with her teammates Dorothy Brookshaw, Mildred Dolson and Hilda Cameron. In the 100 metre competition Meagher was eliminated in the semi-finals. At the 1934 Empire Games, she won the gold medal with the Canadian team in the 220-110-220-110 yards relay contest and the silver medal in the 110-220-110 yards relay competition. In the 220 yards event, she won the silver medal. Four years later she was part of the Canadian team she won the silver medal in the 110-220-110 yards relay competition and the bronze medal in the 220-110-220-110 yards relay event. In the 220 yards competition she finished fourth. In 1935, she was awarded the

Velma Springstead Trophy The Velma Springstead Trophy is an award presented annually to Canada's outstanding female Sportsperson, athlete. It is named in honour of track athlete Velma Springstead whose career ended prematurely when she died from pneumonia in 1927 when only ...

, presented annually to Canada's outstanding female athlete. In 1965, she was inducted into the

Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame The Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame is an honour roll of the top Canadian Olympic athletes, teams, coaches, and builders (officials, administrators, and volunteers). It was established in 1949. Selections are made by a committee appointed by the Cana ...

. She is also a member of the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame and the

Canada's Sports Hall of Fame Canada's Sports Hall of Fame (; sometimes referred to as the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame) is a Canadian sports hall of fame and museum in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Dedicated to the history of sports in Canada, it serves as a hall of fame and mu ...

. In 2018, Meagher was named one of the greatest 15 athletes in Nova Scotia's history, ranking eighth.

References

External links

sports-reference.com
*
Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame profile

Aileen Meagher: Olympic Medallist and Canada's Flying Schoolmarm
at '' Nova Scotia Archives & Records Management'' * * * * 1910 births 1987 deaths Canadian female sprinters 20th-century Canadian painters Olympic track and field athletes for Canada Athletes (track and field) at the 1936 Summer Olympics Olympic bronze medalists for Canada Athletes (track and field) at the 1934 British Empire Games Athletes (track and field) at the 1938 British Empire Games Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Canada Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Canada Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Canada Canadian people of Irish descent Sportspeople from Halifax, Nova Scotia Medalists at the 1936 Summer Olympics Olympic bronze medalists in athletics (track and field) Olympic female sprinters Canadian women painters Medallists at the 1934 British Empire Games Medallists at the 1938 British Empire Games 20th-century Canadian women painters 20th-century Canadian sportswomen Track and field athletes from Nova Scotia Sportswomen from Nova Scotia Commonwealth Games gold medallists in athletics Commonwealth Games silver medallists in athletics Commonwealth Games bronze medallists in athletics {{Canada-Olympic-medalist-stub