Roseanne Allen

Roseanne Allen (March 7, 1954 – June 20, 2009) was a Canadian cross-country skier who competed in the 1972 Winter Olympics.[1]

Early life

Allen was born in Aklavik, Northwest Territories as a member of the Gwich'in First Nation. At age eight, Allen went to Grollier Hall residential school in Inuvik, Northwest Territories. There, she learned how to ski at age 10.[2] Allen was amongst several Aboriginal children, other notable examples being Gwich’in First Nation skiers Shirley and Sharon Firth, who were recruited and trained through the Territorial Experimental Ski Training program.[3]

Career

In 1968, at age 13, she became the youngest Canadian ever to win a Gold medal at the Canadian Junior Nordic Ski Championships, winning the 5 km race with a time of 25 minutes and 33 seconds.[4] She won gold at the Top of the World Ski Championship in 1971.[5] Allen was amongst the first Canadian Aboriginal women to be selected to compete in the Olympics, and in the 1972 Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, Allen competed in two cross-country skiing events. In the Women’s 5 kilometer, she placed 10th, and in the Women’s 3x5 kilometer relay, she placed 40th[6]

Roseanne Allen was posthumously inducted into the NWT Sport Hall of Fame in 2019.[7]

Personal life

After a short career as a competitive cross-country skier, she retired from the national team in 1974 at the age of 20.[8] In 1988, she moved to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and began a career in health at the Indian Friendship Centre.[5] Allen married Mark Billingsley, and had a son, Nathan Allen.[5]

On June 20, 2009, Allen died at the age of 55.[5]

Cross-country skiing results

Olympic Games

 Year   Age   5 km   10 km   3 × 5 km 
 relay 
1972 18 40 — 10

References

  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Roseanne Allen". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  2. ^ Robinson, Laura (August 15, 2009). "National ski champ at 13". North Bay Nugget.
  3. ^ Hall, M. Ann (2016). The Girl and the Game: A History of Women's Sport in Canada, Second Edition. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9781442634121.
  4. ^ Cross Country Canada (March 20, 2017). "Canadian Junior Championships 1968".
  5. ^ a b c d nurun.com. "Former aboriginal skier dead at 55". Sault Star. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  6. ^ "Roseanne Allen". Team Canada - Official 2018 Olympic Team Website. 2011-09-19. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  7. ^ "Roseanne Allen". NWT Sport Hall of Fame. 2019-01-01. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  8. ^ "Olympics". Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 2 May 2013.


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