Via Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame release
VICTORIA - University of Victoria men's rugby star Ed Fairhurst and Olympian Hilary Caldwell are among this year's exceptional additions to the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame set to be inducted on October 26, 2024, at the event's 30th anniversary.
Ed Fairhurst first touched a rugby ball at six years old at St. Michaels University School. Through the tutelage of his coaches, teachers and parents, Ed was able to hone his rugby skills at an early age. In Grade 12, he captained the senior high school rugby team to the school's 3rd ever BC Rugby High School AAA Championship. While still in high school, Ed represented the Under-17 Vancouver Island Crimson Tide, Under-17 BC Team and Captained the first Under-17 Canadian national tour to England.Ed went on to represent Canada at the Under-19 level before joining the Under-23 National Development program under Head Coach David Clark and Assistant Coach John Macmillan. In his first year, Ed played for the Canadian Under-19 National Team that took part in the Junior Rugby World Cup in France. The team placed 4th – the highest ranking for a Canadian Junior Rugby team to date. Ed was named MVP of the Canadian team. After the Junior World Cup tournament, he was called up to the Senior National Men's 15's team – the only member from the Junior U-19 team to receive the honor. Two years later in 2001, he earned his first cap against the USA at the age of 21. In the same year, Ed was selected to the National Men's 7's team and would go on to play in 15 tournaments over the next 5 years culminating in the Rugby 7's World Cup in Hong Kong in 2005.
Ed was also selected for Men's 7's team that participated in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England. Major highlights of Ed's 12-year career with the National 15's Team included Rugby Worlds Cups in 2003 (Australia), 2007 (France) and 2011 (New Zealand). Ed played on the National 15's team from 2001 to 2012 and earned a total of 57 caps for Canada - the most caps ever by a Canadian scrum-half at the time of his retirement. Ed's professional rugby career started in 2006 in Cardiff, Wales and ended in the English Championship with the Cornish Pirates. He amassed over 60 appearances for the professional clubs over a three-year time frame.
Hilary Caldwell trained at Saanich Commonwealth Place with two-time Olympic medallist and former Vikes swimmer Ryan Cochrane to lead Canadian swimming. They won the only two Canadian medals at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona, with Hilary bringing home the Bronze medal in the Women's 200-Metre Backstroke. She won Bronze again at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games before winning a Gold medal at the 2015 Toronto Pan American Games. At the 2016 Rio Olympic Summer Games, swimming in the Women's 200-Metre Backstroke against a field of younger competitors, Hilary won a Bronze medal for Canada. She retired from competition after competing at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Over 240 athletes, teams, coaches, officials, builders, and media personalities have been inducted into the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame since 1991.
Tickets for the Induction Dinner & Ceremony are available online now.
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The Victoria Sports Hall of Fame was inaugurated in 1991. After the induction ceremony in the fall, plaques honouring the Class of 2024 will join those of the previous inductees on the concourse walls of Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
Read full Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame release
