Changing the game

Diane Pidskalny-Hrychuk, a 78-year-old Para sport legend, has left an indelible mark on the world of athletics. After losing her left leg at the hip due to cancer in 1966, she discovered wheelchair basketball and found her true calling. Despite initial skepticism about her sporting future, Pidskalny-Hrychuk went on to secure 134 national and international medals over a 30-year career, competing in basketball, volleyball, table tennis, javelin, discus, shot put, track, and curling.

Her journey began in 1968 when she participated in the National Wheelchair Games in Edmonton, and continued until her retirement in 2008. Pidskalny-Hrychuk represented Canada in basketball at the 1971 Pan American Games and led the women's team to victory at the Stoke Mandeville World Games in England in 1991. She also served as Canada's Flag Bearer at the 1986 Pan American Games and set a world record in javelin at the 1976 Toronto Olympiad.

Post-retirement, Pidskalny-Hrychuk has remained deeply involved in Para sports, coaching youth in rural areas and serving on numerous sports councils and associations. She will be honored with induction into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday, a moment she calls "the most important," as it recognizes her achievements in her home province. Her legacy extends beyond her accomplishments, as she encourages others to embrace challenges and never give up.