Petitclerc was named co-winner of the prestigious award with Olympic hurdler Perdita Felicien at a Toronto ceremony on Thursday, but the Paralympian told CBC Radio on Friday that she refused the award because she believes her performance this year was far better than that of Felicien.
Petitclerc found out about the honour two weeks ago and said she was shocked and upset when she learned she would be sharing the award.
"I had the feeling they wanted to please everybody, to please the Paralympic athletes versus the Olympic athletes," Petitclerc told CBC.
Montreal's Chantal Petitclerc broke three world records and a Paralympic record at the Athens Paralympic Games in September. (CP File Photo)
A native of Montreal, Petitclerc earned five gold medals and set three world records and a Paralympic record at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens in September. Her gold-medal performance in an Olympic demonstration race before 70,000 spectators resulted in the only playing of 'O Canada' in Athens' Olympic Stadium.
Felicien was considered one of Canada's best hopes for a gold medal at the Athens Olympic Games, after the Pickering, Ont., native had earlier won gold in hurdles on the IAAF Golden League and IAAF Grand Prix Series.
In March, Felicien edged American rival Gail Devers in Budapest to become Canada's first champion at the world indoor championships since Bruny Surin in 1995.
However, Felicien failed to earn a medal in Athens after she hit the first barrier and went down in the 100-metre final.
Petitclerc mulled over the possibility of accepting the shared award, but eventually decided to decline.
"Then I just decided that I was not going to compromise. I just decided that this was the performance of my life. As an athlete, you can only dream of having such magic moments," she says.
"For my own self-respect, I didn't want to have this award," said Petitclerc, who says she sent Athletics Canada an e-mail saying she didn't want the award.
The organization reached her and said they understood her feelings.
"They were also trying to make me understand that not accepting these awards would affect my nomination for the Canadian sports award because they could not nominate me if I did not take these awards," she explains.
"And apparently they thought – or they told me – it was the rules for Athletics Canada. But then I found out that there was no such rule. And then I was mad."
"I talked to the president an hour before the awards were presented and I told him I did not want these awards," Petitclerc said.
Athletics Canada decided to award her the Jack W. Davies Trophy to her anyway.
Petitclerc said having to share the award underlines how Athletics Canada views Paralympians as second-class athletes and not on the same level of their able-bodied brethren.
An Athletics Canada source told the Globe and Mail that the selection committee "wanted to honour two outstanding athletes" to avoid making the tough decision of picking one. "It did this not once but twice, and each time the Paralympic athlete's achievement was way higher."
Kelly Smith, of Kamloops, B.C., and Edmonton's Tim Berrett were named co-winners of the Fred Begley Memorial Trophy, top athletes in marathon and off-track race-walking events.
Smith won a silver medal in the wheelchair marathon at the Paralympics, while Berrett set a Canadian record in a 50-kilometre race walk event in March. He later represented Canada at his fourth Olympic Games, but failed to finish in the top 30 in Athens.
Felicien and Petitclerc also shared the Phil Edwards Memorial Trophy for Canada's outstanding athlete in track events.
Petitclerc did not attend Thursday's awards ceremony in Toronto.
Other Athletics Canada winners:
with files from CBC Montreal
