Beverly Stanger facts for kids

Beverly Stanger was an amazing Canadian athlete who was blind. She was from the Timiskaming Band in Notre Dame du Nord, Quebec. Beverly was a talented track and field star. She competed in big events like the 1976 Toronto Olympics for the Physically Disabled. She also took part in the 1977 Ontario Summer Games. In 1976, Beverly received the special Tom Longboat Award. She was only the second girl to ever win it, and the first athlete with a disability to get this honor.

Growing Up

Beverly Stanger was from the Abenaki Algonquin people. Her family was originally from the Timiskaming Band in Notre Dame du Nord, Quebec. Later, she lived in Schumacher, Ontario. In 1977, she went to the W. Ross Macdonald School for the Blind. This is where she showed her skills in track and field sports.

Sports Success

Beverly competed in the 1976 Toronto Olympics for the Physically Disabled. These games are for athletes with disabilities. She won a gold medal in the high jump. She also earned two silver medals in the discus throw and the pentathlon. The pentathlon is a competition with five different events.

In 1977, Beverly competed again at the Ontario Summer Games in Brantford, Ontario. She took part in many track and field events. She won another gold medal and four more silver medals. Her achievements showed her great talent and hard work.

Special Awards

In 1976, Beverly Stanger received the national Tom Longboat Award. This award honors top Indigenous athletes in Canada. She shared the award with Reginald Underwood that year. Beverly was the second female athlete to ever win this important national award.