London Sports Hall of Fame: What to know about the class of 2024 inductees

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The London Sports Hall of Fame, the creation of longtime LFP sportswriter Bruce Huff, has announced its 2024 inductees, who will be honoured at their annual event on Nov. 7 at the Hellenic Centre in London. These are the athletes and sports figures being inducted:

HELEN SMITH

Commonwealth and Pan Am Games pistol shooting medal winner . . . Originally from Kirkland Lake, she moved to London when she was three years old . . . Entered the world of sport shooting in 1984 after taking a firearms safety course at Fanshawe College . . . Joined the Canadian National Shooting team and was on the team for 10 years until 1997 . . . Was the provincial and national champion for seven out of those 10 years in either women’s sport pistol or women’s air pistol . . . Won a silver team medal winner at 1991 Havana Pan Am Games . . . Gold medal winner, individual, women’s air pistol, at the 1994 Victoria B.C. Commonwealth Games.

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BILL BOLAND

Figure skating official passed away in 2020 . . . He was once named the London Skating Club volunteer of the year . . . Team leader for Team Ontario Skating for several years . . . Won the Ontario Sports Council Award for lifetime achievement . . . Also won the Skate Canada award for outstanding service . . . Earned the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Citizenship Award . . . Was named London’s 2014 Sports Person of the Year . . . Served as board director of Skate Canada.

ROB ATCHISON

Champion drag racer was born in London, works at the family business, Atchison Machine Services . . . Began drag racing at 19 and over 25 years became the winningest Canadian driver in International Hot Rod (IHRA) history winning 21 national events across North America and three IHRA Alcohol Funny Car championships . . . Was named 2003 IHRA Pro Driver of the Year and 2005 Canadian Drag Racer of the Year . . . Qualified first more than 35 times and had 36 final round appearances . . . Retired in 2023, remains active in the family business . . . Has raced in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia and more than half of the U.S. states.

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JIM MARTIN

Women’s hockey organizer, originally from Tobermory and moved to London 1962 . . . There was no girls hockey association in London, so he founded the program with two teams of girls between the ages of 12 and 18 . . . In 1986, he laid the groundwork for the London Devilettes Girls Hockey Association . . . More than 100 former Devilettes have gone on to play university hockey in Canada and the United States . . . Three former Devilettes were selected in the first-ever Professional Women’s Hockey League draft, in 2023.

PETER INCH

Arguably the city’s biggest curling enthusiast . . . Born in St. Thomas, moved to London 1999 . . . Inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 2018 . . . Chair of Curling Canada’s Board of Directors from 2016-17 . . . Vice-chair of the 2023 Tim Hortons Brier, which was held in London . . . Chair of the 2024 Can-Am Men’s Curling Tour to the United States.

GERALD WILCOX

Canadian Football League all-star . . . Grew up in London, attending Princess Elizabeth elementary and South Collegiate . . . Attended Weber State University (Utah) from 1985 to 1989 on a football scholarship . . . First-overall pick in the 1989 Canadian Football League draft by Ottawa Rough Riders, traded to Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1992 . . . Had 111 receptions for 1,624 yards and 13 touchdowns in 1994 . . . He was a two-time finalist for outstanding Canadian in the CFL, winning in 1994 . . . Was a league all-star in 1994 and an east division all-star in 1993 and 1994 . . . Was inducted into the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame in 2001.

ndebono@postmedia.com

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