Molly Killingbeck is a world-renowned sprinter who has brought honour, medals and glory to Canada, even though she has claimed, with self-deprecating humour, that she only took up running to avoid after-school chores, because “anyone could join the track team.”

A four-time national sprint champion, she competed in the Olympic Games in 1984 and 1988, bringing home a silver medal, as well as winning gold twice at the Commonwealth Games, silver at the Pan Am Games and the World University Games. In international competition she has won 16 golds, 13 silvers and 7 bronzes at the 200 and 400 metre distances.

Far from hanging up her track shoes after the Olympics, she continued her passionate involvement in her sport as a sprint/relay coach, including coaching the Canadian Men’s Gold Medal relay team (4x100m) at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Her dedication and her abilities have earned her more awards than can be listed here: among others, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award in 2002, York University’s athlete of the year, and athlete of the year of the Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union; and the International Amateur Athletic Federation Merit Award. She has also been an inductee to the York University Sport Hall of Fame.

Her involvement with Etobicoke and its surrounding communities goes back to her childhood. As a school athlete from York District, she competed with Etobicoke schools; later she moved with her own family into south Etobicoke.

In addition to the work she does for all Canadian athletes, Molly has continued to enrich the life of the community of Etobicoke through generous gifts of her time, knowledge and skills – everything from an ongoing commitment to the James S. Bell Community School Advisory Board to participation in programs at Christ the King Catholic Church, which she, her husband Liam O’Connor and son Quinn still attend, and taking part in volunteer programs in the schools aimed at helping kids enjoy an active lifestyle.