Diane Roy Hometown: Hatley, PQ Age: 36 Personal best: 1:43:49 (Oita, 2006) Career notes: Diane Roy comes to Boston after a solid year of racing in 2006. She won the IPC World Championships marathon after edging out runner-up Sandra Graf on the finish line. The two were credited with the same time (1:44:23) but Roy was awarded the gold medal. She added two medals at the Championships, silver in the 1500m (3:42.37), and bronze in the 5,000m (13:41.55). She continued the fall season with two top three finishes, third at the ING New York City Marathon in 1:54:38, and third at the Oita Wheelchair Marathon in 1:43:49 (a Canadian Record). Roy has been working her way through the rankings at the Boston Marathon the last few years, but has not yet emerged as the champion. In 2006 she finished second (1:48:52) for the second consecutive year. In 2005 she finished in 1:50:53 behind two-time winner Cheri Blauwet. She finished sixth in 2004, in 1:54:04. Roy's additional accomplishments include victories at the Oita Marathon, Montreal Marathon, and Las Vegas Marathon. She competed in the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics and 2000 Sydney Paralympics, before winning two bronze medals in 400m and 1500m at the 2004 Athens Paralympics. She spent two weeks in Orlando, preparing for this year's Boston Marathon. She has worked with her Coach Jean Laroche for 15 years. Personal notes: Roy grew up on a farm in a large family with five brothers and two sisters. She developed a love of sports and passion for adventure. At the age of 17 an accident left her confined to a wheelchair without the use of her legs. Tenacity led her to wheelchair athletics, where she joined the Canadian National Team in 1994. Roy currently resides in Hatley, Quebec, and works as an executive assistant in a real estate office. -- Courtesy BAA [ Close window ]