Bill sawchuk swimming biography for kids

Bill Sawchuk

Canadian swimmer (born )

William M. Sawchuk (born January 8, ) is a Canadian former swimmer, competing in the butterfly, freestyle and medley events during the s and early s.

In his international debut as a year-old at the Pan American Games in Mexico City, he won a bronze medal for his third-place finish in the metre individual medley. He represented Canada at the Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, where he competed in the preliminary heats of the and metre freestyle events, the metre individual medley, and the 4×metre freestyle relay.[1]

At the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Alberta, Sawchuk led the three Canadian relay teams to gold medals in the 4×metre freestyle and the 4×metre medley events, and a silver in the 4×metre freestyle. In individual competition, he also won two silver medals in the metre freestyle and metre individual medley, and two bronzes in the metre butterfly and metre individual medley – for a total of seven medals.

Sawchuk accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he swam for coach Randy Reese's Florida Gators swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Southeastern Conference (SEC) competition in and again in and [2] In his three years as a Gator, he was recognized as the SEC Male Swimmer of the Year in , and earned six All-American honours.[2] At the NCAA Swimming Championships, Sawchuk, together with Gator teammates John Hillencamp, Geoff Gaberino and David Larson, won the national title in the yard freestyle relay.[2]

After his freshman season, Sawchuk turned in a five-medal performance at the Pan American Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico, winning three silver medals in the metre individual medley, 4×metre freestyle relay and 4×metre medley relay, and a pair of bronze medals in the metre butterfly and 4×metre freestyle relay. Afterward, he withdrew from the University of Florida to train full-time for the Olympics. Sawchuk qualified for the Canadian Olympic team, but was unable to compete at the Summer Olympics in Moscow when Canada joined the United States-led boycott over the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan.[3]

Sawchuk returned to the University of Florida after the Olympics, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in exercise and sport science in [4]

See also

References

  1. ^, Olympic Sports, Athletes, Bill SawchukArchived April 4, , at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 13,
  2. ^ abcFlorida Swimming & Diving –15 Media SupplementArchived February 18, , at the Wayback Machine, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 78, 79, 84, 87, 96, (). Retrieved May 13,
  3. ^Tom Hawthorn, "When Olympic dreams die," The Globe and Mail (April 9, ). Retrieved May 13,
  4. ^University of Florida Alumni Directory, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida ().

External links

Commonwealth champions in men's 4× m freestyle relay

  • – 4× yards
  • –present: 4× metres
  • &#;Dickson, Rose, Doak, Phelps&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Dickson, Ryan, Wenden, Windle&#;(AUS)
  • &#;White, Rogers, Wenden, Devenish&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Phillips, Robertson, MacDonald, MacKenzie&#;(CAN)
  • &#;Sawchuk, MacDonald, Smith, Szmidt&#;(CAN)
  • &#;Brewer, Fasala, Delany, Brooks&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Fasala, Stockwell, Renshaw, Brooks&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Baildon, Fydler, Vander-Wal, Cooper&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Baildon, Fydler, Lange, Sheehan&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Callus, Fydler, Thorpe, Klim&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Callus, Pearson, Hackett, Thorpe&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Zandberg, Ferns, Schoeman, Neethling&#;(RSA)
  • &#;Richardson, Sullivan, D'Orsogna, Magnussen&#;(AUS)
  • &#;D'Orsogna, Abood, Magnussen, McEvoy&#;(AUS)
  • &#;McEvoy, Magnussen, Cartwright, Chalmers&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Southam, Incerti, Yang, Chalmers&#;(AUS)

Commonwealth champions in men's 4× m medley relay

  • 3× yards
  • – 3× yards
  • – 4× yards
  • – present: 4× metres
  • &#;Gazell, Burleigh, Puddy&#;(CAN)
  • &#;Dove, Davies, Taylor&#;(ENG)
  • &#;Hale, Kendall, Romain&#;(ENG)
  • &#;Weld, Hawkins, Henricks&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Chapman, Monckton, Devitt, Gathercole&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Dickson, O'Brien, Carroll, Berry&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Gilchrist, Chase, Hutton, Jacks&#;(CAN)
  • &#;MacDonald, Kasting, Mahony, Kennedy&#;(CAN)
  • &#;Phillips, Robertson, Pickell, Mahony&#;(CAN)
  • &#;Sawchuk, Thompson, Smith, Tapp&#;(CAN)
  • &#;Orbell, Sieben, Brooks, Evans&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Tewksbury, Davis, Ponting, Baumann&#;(CAN)
  • &#;Cleveland, Gery, Tewksbury, Ponting&#;(CAN)
  • &#;Fydler, Rogers, Miller, Dewick&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Watson, Cowley, Huegill, Klim&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Welsh, Piper, Huegill, Thorpe&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Welsh, Rickard, Klim, Sullivan&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Delaney, Rickard, Huegill, Sullivan&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Walker-Hebborn, Peaty, Barrett, Brown&#;(ENG)
  • &#;Larkin, Packard, Irvine, Chalmers&#;(AUS)
  • &#;Williams, Wilby, Guy, Dean&#;(ENG)