October 14, 2022

FRIEND'S OF DOUG AND DIANE CLEMENT AIM TO REACH 500,000 DOLLARS BY 2023 FOR THE SUPPORT OF STUDENT ATHLETES

Diane and Doug Clement

The Friends of Doug and Diane Clement announced today the goal of reaching the $500,000 target for the Clement Scholarship Fund by the end of the year. This would allow the initiation of the scholarships in early 2023.

The Friends include former Olympic athletes coached by the Clement duo as well as members of the non profit, volunteer Achilles International Track and Field Society who have organized hundreds of competitions since 1964.

Doug Clement said "Diane and I were surprised on May 30 when we met our family for a 63rd wedding anniversary dinner that was secretly organized by the Clement Scholarship Committee.

Yes, this was a complete shock as we were completely unaware that this group had raised over a quarter of a million dollars in three months to start off the creation of a scholarship fund created as a legacy to our family.

2022 is a significant year for Diane and myself. It marks our 86th and 89th birthdays on September 27th and July 15th, plus the “Big Surprise” wedding anniversary, and 58 years as founders of the Achilles International Track and Field Society.

Hundreds of outdoor and indoor track and field events as well road races have been organized by Achilles during that time as well as founding the Vancouver Sun Run, which has attracted over a million participants seeking an active and healthy lifestyle.

Clearly our family supports the efforts of the ­­­­­Clement Scholarship Committee to double the fund in the second phase of fund raising."

Clement family

Marek Jedrzejek, Achilles Chair of the Board said, "Our committee will reach out to an extended number of track and field supporters and friends in the next month to achieve the goal. Financial support of Canadian youth has never been more important than in these turbulent times"

Achilles International Track and Field Society established in 1964 to support Canadian youth

How to contribute to the Vancouver Foundation

Doug and Diane Clement Scholarship Fund

Doug and Diane Clement, Olympic runners in the 1950's, founded the Achilles Track and Field Society (Achilles) in 1964 to offer BC and Canadian athletes the chance to improve their performance by competing against the best in the world at an international track meet each year. After 57 years, the Clements’ stepped down from their leadership roles at Achilles.

Achilles decided to honour them and create a lasting family legacy by launching The Doug and Diane Clement Scholarship Fund. Scholarships will be awarded to university and college students who demonstrate excellence in athletics coupled with a record of community service and/or study in a discipline that contributes to fitness and healthy living.

In the initial secret fundraising phase, more than 100 Achilles volunteers, athletes, colleagues and organizations donated and committed more than $250,000. The Fund has moved to a second public phase to build the amount of the scholarships available each year.

Doug and Diane founded the Vancouver Sun Run in 1984 and in 2019 the Rainforest Trail Run in Burnaby. They have been awarded the Order of Canada and are in multiple sport Halls of Fame. Doug was a doctor, UBC professor, coach and hugely influential in the development of the sports medicine practice in Canada. Diane was a coach, the first female president of Athletics Canada, a chef and has published eight best-selling cookbooks focused on healthy eating.

Read more from the Vancouver Sun here.

Charitable tax receipts are provided for donations of $25 or more.


  • This fund’s granting purpose is subject to change.
  • In order to properly recognize all donors for their contributions, Vancouver Foundation will share your name and donation amount with the fund advisor unless you have checked the anonymous box on the donation form.
  • Your gift will be made available to make an immediate impact in the community.

For questions about this fund or Vancouver Foundation, please email Cheryl Tam.

FUNDS:

Doug and Diane Clement Scholarship Fund

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The Clement's co founded the Vancouver Sun in 1985
The Clement's co-founded both the Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome Track and Field Classic as well as the Jerome Indoor Games and the Kajaks Track and Field Club
Diane and Doug are both selected to the BC Sports Hall of Fame
Diane and Doug were the Co Mayors of the Athlete's Village at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria and the 2010 Paralympics Games in Vancouver
Doug was on Canada's 1952 Helsinki and 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, winning a silver medal in the 4x440 yards at the 1954 Empire Games in Vancouver while Diane was on the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. she on the bronze medal at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales
The Achilles Track and Field Society co founded by Doug and Diane in 1964 has raised over 3 million dollars to support track and field in British Columbia and Canada
The Jerome Classic is Canada's longest standing International Track Meet
In 2022 World Athletics recognized the Jerome Classic as an International Heritage Competition

Videos

https://www.dropbox.com/home?preview=26-VAN-CLEMENT18-RPT.mp4


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtMEEgik6LQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgDqpCAjJCA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZfWpj32NJU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HvPCMks6VI

https://www.althialife.com/diane-clement-olympian-and-sports-pioneer/

Written Interviews and articles

https://www.viasport.ca/news/qa-vancouvers-golden-sport-couple

https://kin.educ.ubc.ca/reconciliation-in-the-rainforest-trail-run/

https://www.harryjerome.com/post/a-new-honour-for-diane-clement

https://athletics.ca/diane-clement-order-of-canada/

https://www.vancouverfoundation.ca/clementscholarships

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/diane-doug-clement-founders-vancouver-sun-run-olympics


https://athleticsillustrated.com/clement-doug/

https://www.canadianliving.com/health/fitness/article/the-7-keys-to-getting-fit

https://theprovince.com/news/commitment-to-active-living-keeps-clements-healthy

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-friends-doug-diane-clement-athlete-scholarship/

https://runningmagazine.ca/the-scene/doug-and-diane-clement-scholarship-fund-honours-b-c-power-couple/

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/trackandfield/world-athletics-canada-oregon-ducks-eugene-1.6519593

https://vancouversun.com/life/doug-diane-clement-scholarship-fund

https://worldathletics.org/heritage/news/harry-jerome-classic-heritage-plaque

https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/0114-diane-clement

https://www.worldwidequest.com/index.php?page=lets_travel&id=102

https://www.bcbusiness.ca/The-Heart-and-Stroke-Foundations-Heart-of-Gold-Miami-Nights-Gala

https://www.richmond-news.com/local-sports/clement-grateful-for-olympic-oval-legacy-3067127

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/diane-clement-olympics-1.5409936

https://www.bcbusiness.ca/UBC-Welcome-Home-Party-2017

https://www.richmond-news.com/local-sports/kajaks-celebrate-50th-year-of-bc-elementary-track-and-field-championships-3076060

https://www.bcbusiness.ca/The-Heart-and-Stroke-Foundations-Heart-of-Gold-Miami-Nights-Gala

https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/D-B-Clement-39749709