Ethel Catherwood, the “Saskatoon Lily”, set a world record in a local meet, high jumping an outstanding 1.58m. This achievement led to Ethel receiving an invitation to the Olympic Trials in 1928, where she set another world record jumping with a jump of 1.6m.

Ethel followed this up with a gold medal performance at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam (Netherlands), with a leap of 1.59m – becoming the first Canadian women to win a medal in the high jump and be crowned Olympic champion.

Ethel continued to dominate the high jump world for five years from 1926 to 1931 including the world number one rank twice. Not relegated to the high jump, she was also a talented javelin thrower, winning the Canadian championships four times, and setting and tying national records along the way.

Upset by the treatment of women athletes, Ethel retired from the sport, married, and moved to the United States, never to compete again.

Ethel received many honours, including being inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame (1949); Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame (1955); the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (1966); and the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame (1986).

In recognition of her athletic achievements, Canada honoured her with a Canadian stamp in her likeness.