Vernon's Greg Edgelow has been inducted into the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame for Edgelow

Photo: North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame

Greg Edgelow has another accolade to add to his list of accomplishments after being named to the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame.

Born in Edmonton, Edgelow grew up in Vernon. The retired Olympic freestyle wrestler is a nationally certified Aboriginal wrestling coach with Cree ancestral heritage from Manitoba on his mother's side.

Edgelow has a long and accomplished wrestling pedigree.

He was a juvenile, junior and six-time Canadian senior wrestling champion and placed in the top 10 of the world championships five times.

He represented Canada at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, placing 11th.

Edgelow is the only Canadian to win a medal in wrestling at the Goodwill Games when he secured a bronze medal. He is also the only Canadian wrestler to win four separate consecutive senior freestyle weight classes – 82 kg, 90 kg, 96 kg and 100 kg. His last senior national title was in 1998, where he represented Canada at the World Championships in Tehran, Iran.

Edgelow was also awarded the 1999 Canadian Sport Leadership Award for his outstanding athletic achievements and leadership in volunteerism, beating out fellow finalist, hockey great Wayne Gretzky.

In 2018, Edgelow was inducted into the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame, Indigenous Gallery.

“Any time you are recognized by any governing body for your accomplishments, it's always a great feeling,” Edglow said about the NAIAHOF induction.

Edgelow said having a hall of fame for North American Indigenous athletes is long overdue.

“It recognizes those accomplishments,” said Edgelow who currently lives in Vancouver.

Edgelow said he currently works in Indigenous relations in the energy sector.

“I've been working in the area of Indigenous relations for 16 years,” he said. “I have been volunteering with Indigenous kids around the province since 1997.”

He has also volunteered at four North American Indigenous Games events over the years

Edgelow said he mentors not only Indigenous youth, but other youths as well.

“It doesn't matter who they are, but definitely I was called upon because of having an Indigenous background,” he said.

Edgelow said he grew up with an adoptive white father and was never immersed in his Indigenous culture.

It wasn't until 1997 when he was asked to speak to 5,000 Indigenous athletes at the Parade of Nations North American Indigenous Games that he truly started down the path or re-connecting with his heritage.