The Alaska Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2016 has been announced and the Class of 2016 includes two track and field champions, two sporting moments and one Alaska sporting event.
Class of 2016
Don Clary, a 1975 graduate of Anchorage’s East High School and considered Alaska’s top distance runner, is one of two individuals inducted on Monday. Clary holds the Alaska state record in the two-mile for Alaska track and Field, running the fastest two-mile ever recorded in Alaska at 9 minutes and 4 seconds. Clary was an All-American at the University of Oregon and represented the USA in the 1984 Olympic Games in the 5000 meters.
Janay DeLoach, a graduate of Eielson High School, holds the state long jump record of 19 feet, 5 inches. DeLoach reach All-American status at Colorado State and won a bronze medal in the long jump at the 2012 London Olympics.
The two moments inducted to the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame include: Anchorage’s Matt Carle winning the 2006 Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s top player and Anchorage hosting the 2001 Special Olympic World Winter Games.
The 2016 Alaska Sporting Event is the Native Youth Olympics, held annually to promote an active lifestyle and to encourage participation in World Eskimo Indian Olympic-themed disciplines.
The 2016 Alaska Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held July 29th as part of the Hall of Fame’s 10th anniversary.