On Nov. 30, Canada and the province of Alberta lost a influential member of the running community with the death of 11-time Canadian masters record holder Helena “Helly” Visser of Calgary. She died at the age of 89.
Born in Hilversum, the Netherlands, in 1934, Visser came to Canada in her youth. Her running journey began after her three children left home to pursue their education. With time on her hands, she discovered a passion for pushing her limits, and embraced the outdoors.
In 1995, Visser entered competitive events for Canada, winning gold in the W60 1,500m at the WAVA (now World Masters Athletics) meet. Over the years, she achieved remarkable success in her age group, setting three world masters age group records and 11 Canadian masters records across middle distances from 800m to 3,000m (indoor and outdoor).
Visser competed at the masters level provincially, nationally and in numerous world championships. Notably, she still holds three world masters records in the W80 category for the 1,500m, mile and 3,000m. Additionally, she boasts numerous Alberta provincial masters records, received multiple honours as Athletics Alberta Masters Athlete of the Year and was inducted into the Canadian Masters Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010.
80-year old Roger Davis and 81-year old Helly Visser just ran the mile here at the @RunningRoom Indoor Games pic.twitter.com/20syYXNI2V
— Mark Connolly (@MarkConnollyCBC) March 13, 2016
Beyond her athletic accomplishments, Visser played an active role in promoting the sport within Calgary’s community. She organized local running clinics and helped advocate for the construction of an indoor track and field house.
Competing at the masters level until in 2019, when she was 85, Visser served as an inspiration to many runners. Her love for continuous learning and her commitment to improvement through shared experiences made her a cherished figure in the running community.
In memory of Visser and her love for the outdoors, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area in Calgary’s Fish Creek community.
