The prize recognises a national team athlete who has "used their sporting excellence to benefit the community".

It is named in honour of Starkman, a sports journalist who was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame after his premature death in 2012, aged just 51.

Thirty-four-year-old Spencer is one of Canada's most successful boxers, winning three world titles and five Pan American titles.

She competed at middleweight when women's boxing made its Olympic debut at London 2012.

A Committee led by the Starkman family and featuring members of the sporting community selected Spencer for the award due to her "countless hours" giving back to her community in Cape Croker, Kashechewan and other regions of northern Ontario.

Her prize includes CAD$15,000 (£8,800/$11,000/€10,000), with CAD$10,000 (£6,000/$7,500/€6,800) coming from the Randy Starkman Charitable Foundation to benefit a charity or initiative of Spencer's choice.

The remaining money is for personal use, with the COC also pledging to donate $5,000 (£3,000/$3,800/€3,400) to Spencer's chosen charity.

"When I first started boxing, once I got on the national team, I found myself in a better place than I was when I started as a teenager," said Spencer. 

"I wanted to start going back to my roots and giving back. 

"You hear all these issues and problems that are facing First Nations communities, and what do you do? 

"Well, all you can do is bring your gifts, right? 

"Bring your gifts and use them in a good way. 

"And for me, it's sport. 

"That's the gift that I have. 

"And the only way I know how to use that in a good way is to share it with young people and teach them. 

"That's how I feel like I can contribute to communities."