Chalmers chosen B.C.'s senior overall athlete

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Chalk yet another victory up for First Nations athlete Angela Chalmers in 12 months studded with achievements.

The middle-distance runner from Victoria was honored this month as top B.C. athlete and named a winner for a National Aboriginal Achievement Award.

The national award is to be bestowed upon her and several other Native luminaries at a ceremony March 31 at Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

"The 31-year-old, who won gold in record time for the 3,000-metre race at the Commonwealth Games in her home town last summer, takes the honors in stride.

"I think I pretty much accomplished everything the way I wanted to last year, and more," she said. "I do want to succeed and if I do play the game, I want to play it well But that's just part of if for me."

Chalmers was given Sport B.C.'s highest honor, senior over-all athlete, at a banquet this month. It capped a season that saw her not only win gold at Victoria, but carry our country's flag to open the international games.

Two weeks later, she won the 1,500 metre race at the world's No. 1 meet, the IAAF Grand Prix championships in Europe, and a silver at the World Cup.

Earlier this year she won the indoor Millrose Games mile in New York. And she recorded personal bests in every distance from 1,000 to 5,000 metres.

Chalmers, who is gearing up for the world championships in Sweden in August, also speaks out for drug free competition and encourages Natives and women.

She is joined for the 1995 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards by world renowned Haida carver Robert Davidson, Vancouver lawyer Arthur Scow, and Dr. Noah Carpenter, a thoracic surgeon from Comox, on Vancouver Island. Scow was the first Aboriginal called to the bar in B.C. and the first Indian provincial court judge.

Alberta honorees include architect Douglas Cardinal, who designed the Museum of Civilization in Ottawa, addictions counsellor Maggie Hodgson of Edmonton, for her work in health services and Marie Smallface Marule of Lethbridge, Red Crow College president, for her work in education.

From across Canada, others awarded as: Environment and Public Service: Quebec Cree leader Matthew Coon Come, Lifetime achievement: Inuit printmaker Keno Joak. Education: Ernest Benedict from the Akwesasne band in Ontario and Regina cleric Dr. Ahab Spence. Business and Commerce: Inuvik entrepreneur Frank Hansen. Community Development: Manitoba band leader Chief Louis Stevenson. Special Youth Award for Engineering: Sharla Tiakohatehkwen Howard of Kanesatake in Quebec.

Performing at the gala ceremony, to be held March 31 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, are Metis actor and singer Tom Jackson (North of 60), Buffy Saint-Marie and Inuit singing sensation Susan Aglukark.

The cashless awards are sponsored by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Indian and Northern Affairs, the CBC, Canada Post and the province of British Columbia.