Firsts
Carol LaFayette-Boyd
Life in Saskatchewan
Born to descendants of those who came to Canada in 1906 from Iowa and 1910 from Oklahoma. Carol lived and worked in the United States in 1966 to 1972 except for 1968, when she worked in Regina Munro Wing, General Hospital. Carol lives in Regina, Sask.
Ancestry
Born 17 May 1942 on a farm near McGee, Saskatchewan.
Contributions
Firsts, Health, Social Services, Sport, Community Service
Carol LaFayette-Boyd grew up on a farm but moved to Regina with her family in 1956 at the age of 14. She was the only Black student attending Sheldon-Williams Collegiate where she participated in a variety of sports including track and field.
She decided to follow in her sister, Vera’s footsteps and studied psychiatric nursing at the Saskatchewan Hospital – Weyburn. She has many fond memories of her experiences there. She got along with all the patients. This is when treating people with dignity and respect became paramount in her profession.
Carol married an American who was in the United States Air Force and throughout their married life he was most often stationed overseas. During these times Carol was always happy to return to Canadian soil. She completed her psychiatric nurses training in 1965 which enabled her to work at the Munroe Clinic in Regina. When she returned to Saskatchewan for good in 1972 she started working at Social Services in Regina.
Carol decided to return to school taking night classes at the University of Regina, School of Social Work. She achieved her certificate in 1977. Her degree took somewhat longer but her perseverance and determination paid off; in 1985 Carol graduated with a degree in Social Work.
Her work in Special Foster Homes enhanced her understanding of the needs of abused and neglected children. She became involved in public awareness activities such as speaking at schools on child abuse. This led to several years of training social workers in child abuse and neglect, work she enjoyed very much. She also trained on the subject of child care and adoption, young offenders, and human resources.
She continued in this role until 1996 when she became the training coordinator for the Paul Dojack Youth Centre. In 2002 she took on a supervisory role from which she retired in the fall of 2005. Two things Carol learned through her professional career: don’t take anything personally and never show fear.
At the age of 50, Carol participated in the Masters Track Meet held in Regina and has been ‘hooked’ ever since. She holds or held Saskatchewan and Canadian Indoor Track records for her age group in the 50m, 60m, 200m, 300mand 400m run as well as long-jump, high-jump and triple-jump events. On the Outdoor Track, Carol holds or held records for the 100m, the 200m as well as, the long, high and triple-jump events. She also holds or held records with relay teams from different age groups. She has competed in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Maine, Utah, California, Italy, Hungary and Spain. Since turning 65 Carol has broken 35 World records in 60m, 100m, 200m, long Jump, triple Jump and high Jump and has been on one relay team that broke a world record. https://world-masters-athletics.com/records/
In 2014, she was recognized by the City of Regina at the May 24th Council meeting. https://reginask.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_Meeting.aspx?ID=3607&Print=Yes. Carol had received 5 gold medals at the World Masters Track & Field Indoor Championships in Budapest, Hungary. https://www.cbc.ca/afternoonedition/episode/2014/04/07/carol-lafayette-boyd-wins-big-at-world-masters/
Since 2008 Carol has ranked first in the world in her age group in many of the events she has participated in. https://www.mastersrankings.com/athlete-profile/?x8=CAN403156349CAROLLAFAYETTEBOYD.
In 2017 Carol was chosen as the World Masters Athletics Female Sprinter of the Year and the runner up as the World Masters Athletics Female jumper of the year.http://leaderpost.com/sports/local-sports/lafayette-boyd-receives-prestigious-award.
In 2018 Carol was chosen as the Female Athlete of the Year by World Masters Athletics and the runner up as the World Masters Athletics Female jumper of the year. https://leaderpost.com/sports/local-sports/reginas-carol-lafayette-boyd-wins-world-track-honour. She is the first Canadian of African descent to receive the award.
In 2022 ,she received the Female Athlete of the Year for World Masters Athletics again at the age of 80.
World's Best Athlete again awarded to 80-year-old Regina track star | CTV News
Carol is in the Regina Sports Hall of Fame (2014) and Canadian Masters Sport Hall of Fame (2012)
Carol’s daughter and son passed away in 2013 and 2014. She married Lemuel Boyd in 1984 and he passed away in 2015. Carol credits her faith that has taken her through the passing of her loved ones. She is the proud grandmother of three and great grandmother of four.
AWARDS
1965 Kempton’s Stationary and Book Award in Psychiatric Nursing Theory and Practice
2001 35 Years Long Service Award – Saskatchewan Government
2002 YWCA Nominee, Women of Distinction – Sports Category
2008 Daughters of Africa - Award of Excellence in Sport
2017 Access Communications – Athlete of the Year Award
2017 Saskatchewan Jamaican Association Community Service Recognition Award
2019 Honorary Membership - Communauté des Africains Francophones de la Saskatchewan Inc
2020 Office of the Secretary to the Governor General Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers
2021 Honorary Doctor of Laws – University of Regina
2022 Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medals (Saskatchewan) and (Nova Scotia)
2023 Blackcellence Gala - Recipient of Women of Excellence: Honouring and celebrating the women who have made a difference in our community. Sportsmanship Athletic award named after Carol
2024 Truly Alive Foundation - 2023 Black Community Leader Award
2024 Saskatchewan Multicultural Leadership Award - MCOS
ATHLETIC
Provincial
Sask Sport Masters athlete of the year (all sports) 2002, 2004, 2007, finalist 2011
Sask Sport - Athlete of Month (all sports, ages) – September 2007, July 2011
Bob Adams Award of Excellence, Masters Category - 1998, 2004, 2007, 2011, 2017, 2022
Howard West Award, Sask Athletics – 2008, 2014, 2019
Carol has two Athletic awards named after her. One is with Blackcellence and the other is her track club Excel Athletika
National
2007 CMA Female Master Athlete of the Year
2017 CMA Earl Fee Award for Track
2017 CMA Olga Kotelko Award for Field
2018 CMA Olga Kotelko Award for Field
2022 CMA Earl Fee Award for Track
CMA Masters Athlete of Month (awards started – 2012), June 2012, February, 2013, February, 2017, February 2018, July 2022, February, 2023
Regional – North & Central America, Caribbean World Masters Athletics (NCCWMA)
2017 Overall Female Masters Athlete, Best Female Sprinter and Best Female Jumper
(NCCWMA) – 2018 Overall Female Masters Athlete and Best Female Jumper. .http://leaderpost.com/sports/local-sports/lafayette-boyd-receives-prestigious-awardhttps://world-masters-athletics.com/news/meet-carol-lafayette-boyd-the-2018-female-athlete-of-the-year/
International – World Masters Athletics (WMA)
2017 was chosen as the World Masters Athletics Female Sprinter of the Year and the runner up as the World Masters Athletics female jumper of the year.
2018 was chosen as the World Masters Athletics Overall Female Athlete of the Year and the World Masters Athletics Runner-up Female Jumper of the year.
2022 was chosen as the World Masters Athletics Overall Female Athlete of the Year
2024 inducted into WMA Gallery of Champions
Carol Lafayette-Boyd is now the world's fastest 80-year-old - Canadian Running Magazine
Carol LaFayette-Boyd | Canada - World Masters Athletics
Carol was the Saskatchewan representative for CMA for 15 years. She attends Gateway Church in Regina. Carol is the treasurer and board member of the Saskatchewan African Canadian Heritage Museum Inc (SACHM), acting chair of the For Love of Matthew (FLOM) and board member of the Bob Adams Foundation.
(2024)