Former Simon Fraser University (B.C.) cross country and track and field star Emilie Mondor died tragically on Saturday afternoon in a car accident east of Ottawa. She was 25 years old. Mondor, a former NAIA Champion with the Clan, competed for Canada at the 2004 Olympics in Greece. She was on her way to attend a high school reunion in Mascouche, Quebec.

Mondor, who won back-to-back NAIA National Championships in 2001 and 2002 in cross country, was making a comeback attempt after being diagnosed with an inability to absorb calcium. In late 2004, Mondor suffered the first of five stress fractures, and eventually was diagnosed with osteoporosis.

But demonstrating the character and spirit that had defined her career as an athlete and person, Mondor battled her way back, taking an experimental drug to increase the intensity of her training, and continuing to train towards her goal of being a champion. On Friday, Mondor ran 29km in a training session, as she had begun preparing for a new discipline, the marathon.

"I think she was incredibly passionate, determined young woman, everything she pursued she did with great determination," said SFU track and field coach Brit Townsend on Monday. "It was at the core of her being, to be the best that she could possibly be in her running. She gave a lot to SFU obviously with her championship titles but also with her leadership and being such an incredible role model to the younger athletes who were on her team."

While at SFU Mondor was not only an NAIA cross country champion, but had success in both Outdoor and Indoor Track & Field. She was named the co-Outstanding Performer at the 2002 NAIA National Outdoor Track and Field Championships after winning the 1500m and 4x800m titles.

"She was something else, and became a good friend of ours, calling (our family) and visiting our house when she was in town, she was always very supportive of my children," said Townsend. "She gave a lot of her training gear to young athletes on the team and people who she was training with, and was always so generous with her spirit. She just loved to support people and loved to help others. You don't meet very many people like her, and I completely respected everything about her."