| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1963-09-06)September 6, 1963 (age 62) Brandon, Manitoba, Canada |
| Alma mater | Northern Arizona University |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Track and field |
Event(s) | 1500 m,3000 m |
| College team | Northern Arizona Lumberjacks |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personalbests | |
Angela Chalmers (born September 6, 1963) is aCanadian retired track and field athlete who competed in the1500 metres and3000 metres. She is the1992 Olympic bronze medallist in the 3000 metres, and a three-timeCommonwealth gold medallist, winning the 1500m and 3000m in 1990, and the 3000m in 1994.
Chalmers was born inBrandon, Manitoba, Canada to a mother from theBirdtail Sioux First Nation and a father of Scottish-Canadian ancestry.[1] She was always an avid runner. She competed with the Canadian National Jr. Track Team, eventually receiving a scholarship toNorthern Arizona University.[2] Chalmers first appeared on the international stage in 1985 inKobe,Japan at theUniversiade/FISU World University Games, where she finished third in the 3,000 metres. The following year inArizona, she won the1986 NCAA Division I cross country championships forNorthern Arizona University.[3][4] She won theHonda Sports Award as the nation's best female collegiate cross country runner in 1987.[5] This was followed in 1987 with a second place at thePan American Games in the 3000 meters, in Indianapolis. She finished 14th in the 3000 metres final at the1988 Seoul Olympics.
In the year 1990, Chalmers won twoCommonwealth Games titles inAuckland,New Zealand, winning both the 1500 meter race and the 3000 meter race in a World leading time of 8:38.38. In 1992, she qualified for theOlympics in the cross-country event. even though her father had died in 1984 before the Olympic trials she thought of him while she ran her race. after the race, in which she finished third (behindYelena Romanova andTatyana Dorovskikh) and qualified for the bronze medal, she explained to reporters about her father, "I said to him when he was in the hospital that I wanted to prove to him that I could do it".[6]
She was chosen by her team to be the flag bearer at the opening ceremonies of the1994 Commonwealth games, leading her team intoCentennial Stadium. In 1994 in Victoria, Canada, she retained her Commonwealth 3000 m title in a personal best time of 8:32.17, placing her third on the 1994 World rankings (she did not compete in the 1500 meters). She remains the only woman in the history of the Commonwealth Games to successfully defend the 3000 m race. On September 3, 1994, she won the Grand Prix Final of the Women's 1500 meters held in France with a personal best time of 4:01.61. At the height of her career, Chalmers was ranked as one of the top three middle distance runners in the world.[2]
In 2001, Chalmers was inducted into theManitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, and in 2004 into theBC Sports Hall of Fame.[2][7] She was a recipient of theNational Aboriginal Achievement Award, now the Indspire Awards, in the sports category in 1995.[8][9] In addition to her successful career, Chalmers was also a spokeswoman. She is ofSioux descent, and used her platform as a professional runner to speak out aboutAboriginal peoples.[9] She was inducted into the Athletics Canada Hall of Fame in 2019.[10] In 2019, she was a member of the inaugural class of the Big Sky Hall of Fame.[4]
In 1996, just before the1996 Atlanta Olympics, Chalmers retired from her career as a Canadian track and field athlete due to a calf injury.[2]
Chalmers is now married toSimon Doyle, an Australian middle distance runner, and is the mother of two children.[2]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing Canada | |||||
| 1985 | Universiade | Kobe, Japan | 3rd | 3000 m | 9:03.19 |
| 1987 | Pan American Games | Indianapolis, United States | 2nd | 3000 m | 9:14.48 |
| 1988 | Olympic Games | Seoul, South Korea | 17th (h) | 1500 m | 4:08.64 |
| 14th | 3000 m | 9:04.75 | |||
| 1990 | Commonwealth Games | Auckland, New Zealand | 1st | 1500 m | 4:08.41 |
| 1st | 3000 m | 8:38.38 | |||
| 1992 | Olympic Games | Barcelona, Spain | 14th (sf) | 1500 m | 4:04.87 |
| 3rd | 3000 m | 8:47.22 | |||
| 1994 | Commonwealth Games | Victoria, Canada | 1st | 3000 m | 8:32.17 |
| Grand Prix Final | Paris, France | 1st | 1500 m | 4:01.61 | |
| World Cup | London, United Kingdom | 2nd | 1500 m | 4:01.73 | |
| (#) Indicates overall position in qualifying heats (h) or semifinals (sf) | |||||
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Women's 3.000m Best Year Performance 1990 | Succeeded by |
| 3000 metres (1978–1994) | |
|---|---|
| 5000 metres (1998–present) | |
