Swimming Canada


Swimming Canada is the Canadian national governing body for competitive swimming in the country.
Swimming Canada oversees the management of all swim programs throughout the nation and provides the foundation for beginner-level athletes to train towards the elite level, with the chance to attend world championships and the Olympic Games. The national headquarters is located in Ottawa, Ontario, with staff dispersed throughout Canada.

History

The Canadian Amateur Swimming Association was established in 1909, after the preliminary appearance of a Canadian swimmer at the London 1908 Summer Olympics. Robert Zimmerman of Montreal was the first Canadian Swimmer to appear at any Olympic Games, competing in the 100m freestyle, 100m backstroke, and springboard Diving.
At the 1912 Summer Olympics, George Hodgson won Canada's first two Olympic swimming medals and set a world record in the 1500 meter freestyle. Elaine Tanner became the first Canadian to win three swimming medals at the Mexico 1968 Summer Olympics. In the Montreal 1976 Summer Olympics, Canadian swimmers accounted for eight of the total 11 medals won by Team Canada.
The Canadian Olympic team has brought swimmers to each Olympics games, except for the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, due to a government boycott. Over the past 100 years, Canadian swimmers have earned over 40 medals at the Olympic games, as well as many other successes through World Championship competitions.
In the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics, the Canadian women's swim team earned six out of the 22 medals that Team Canada won during the Games. Four of the six medals were earned by 16 year-old Penny Oleksiak, the only Canadian to win four medals in a single Olympic Games.

Meets

Swimming Canada works with local club teams, university teams and national select teams, as well as community members to make annual events possible.
The national team is selected every year at Swimming Canada's Trials competition, and every four years those members form the Olympic team.

Circle of Excellence

Since 2001 Swimming Canada has honoured "the greatest Canadian swimmers of all time", and some coaches and builders, by induction into its Circle of Excellence.

Swimmers