Vivian_Berkeley
Vivian Berkeley
Canadian competitive lawn bowler
Vivian Berkeley (born August 9, 1941) is a Canadian two-time World Blind Lawn Bowling Champion, 1996 Paralympic Games Silver Medalist and 2002 Commonwealth Games Bronze Medalist.
Over her 21-year decorated career (1994–2015), Vivian would accumulate a total of 60 medals; including 22 straight Provincial Gold medals, 21 National Gold medals (16 straight), along with an impressive 17 International medals from 8 countries (2 Gold, 10 Silver, 5 Bronze). Berkeley is accredited to helping build the sport of lawn bowls for the blind and visually-impaired in Canada and abroad.
On November 7, 2021, Vivian was Inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame (CDHF). Founded by the Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons (CFPDP), this public exhibit is located in Metro Hall in downtown Toronto Ontario, and is where a honorary plaque with her name and etching of her portrait is on display. The Induction Ceremony took place on October 20, 2022, at the Fairmont Royal York in downtown Toronto.
On April 24, 2022, Vivian was Inducted into the Waterloo Region Hall of Fame, located on the second floor of the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum in Kitchener Ontario. The Induction Ceremony took place at the same location.
On April 28, 2023, Vivian was Inducted into the Ontario Lawn Bowls Association Hall of Fame. The Induction Ceremony took place in Oakville Ontario.
On June 13, 2023, Vivian was Inducted into the Glace Bay Old Town Hall Museum, located in her hometown of Glace Bay Nova Scotia.
"As an athlete I feel that year-round physical training and mental preparation are the keys to success. To reach your goals you must be prepared to be persistent and dedicated to your sport. An athlete must be able to accept winning as well as defeat, and meet new challenges head on. In order to succeed in any sport, this philosophy should be applied on a daily basis." - Vivian Berkeley