Dinos track star Zelinka caps inaugural Canada West Hall of Fame class
EDMONTON Arguably the most complete student-athlete ever to represent the University of Calgary, track-and-field star Jessica Zelinka had a decorated career for the Dinos from 2002-07.
On Tuesday, the two-time Olympian became the 100th inductee in the inaugural Canada West Hall of Fame class, as the conference capped the 2019-20 induction season and the celebration of 100 years of university sport in Western Canada.
Over four seasons competing in women’s athletics for the Dinos, Zelinka was a member of two Canada West championship-winning teams and propelled Calgary to the CIS title in 2007, with a stellar showing at nationals during which she won five gold and one silver medal.
A specialist in combined events, Zelinka was named the CIS Female Track Athlete of the Year in 2004 and its top female field athlete in 2007.
She captured a total of 17 CIS championship medals and was named MVP in all four of her trips to nationals (2003, ’04, ’05, ’07). At the conference level, she was named Canada West’s top track athlete four times (2003, ’04, ’05, ’07) and picked up the top field athlete award in 2007.
Bolstered by her experience in university athletics, Zelinka’s burgeoning international career took off after graduation.
Her greatest successes came in the heptathlon, an event in which she won gold at the 2007 Pan-american Games and was a repeat silver-medallist at the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and 2014. She competed at two Olympic Games, finishing fourth in the heptathlon in 2008, then at London in 2012 where she placed fifth in the heptathlon and seventh in the 100-metre hurdles.
Her Canada West championships records include the fastest time in the 60-metre hurdles and highest score in the pentathlon.
In 2012, Zelinka was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
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