Timothy McIsaac

Timothy McIsaac (born 10 January 1959) is a retired Canadian Paralympic swimmer, who was born blind. He was one of the first blind swimmers to do a tumble turn in an international competition. He began swimming at the Ross MacDonald School for the Blind in Brantford, Ontario.[1]

Timothy McIsaac
Personal information
NationalityCanadian
Born (1959-01-10) 10 January 1959
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Sport
Country Canada
SportParalympic swimming
DisabilityBlindness
Disability classA, B1
ClubSt. James Seals Swim Club (1976-1992)
Coached byWilf and Audrey Strom
Retired1992
Medal record
Paralympic swimming
Representing  Canada
Paralympic Games
1976 TorontoMen's 4x100m medley A
1976 TorontoMen's 100m butterfly A
1976 TorontoMen's 400m ind. medley A
1976 TorontoMen's 100m backstroke A
1976 TorontoMen's 100m freestyle A
1980 ArnhemMen's 100m breaststroke A
1980 ArnhemMen's 100m butterfly
1980 ArnhemMen's 200m ind. medley A
1980 ArnhemMen's 400m ind. medley A
1984 Stoke Mandeville/New YorkMen's 400m breaststroke B1
1984 Stoke Mandeville/New YorkMen's 400m ind. medley B1
1984 Stoke Mandeville/New YorkMen's 100m breaststroke B1
1988 SeoulMen's 100m backstroke B1
1988 SeoulMen's 100m butterfly B1
1988 SeoulMen's 200m ind. medley B1
1988 SeoulMen's 400m freestyle B1

Biography

McIsaac was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and has been blind since birth. When he was six years old, he would spend ten months of every year living in residence at the school and was far away from home. His father kept in contact with him whenever he attended business trips in Toronto or McIsaac would telephone his family every other week.[2]

Swimming career

Swimming motivation

McIsaac started swimming when he was aged 13: his determination to start focussing on swimming was when he was involved in a car accident in September 1973 outside of his parents' house. He suffered from fractures in both of his legs and a compound fracture on his right arm.

Start of his swimming career

McIsaac first competed in a major competition in 1975 aged sixteen at the Ontario Games for the Physically Disabled held in Cambridge. He had only been swimming for three years but he won five gold medals at his first Games.[2]

Contributions

He has been awarded the Viscount Alexander Award for Junior Male Athlete of the Year in 1976 after his success at the 1976 Summer Paralympics. He won another title in 1982 for being the Athlete of the Year in Manitoba and was honored in Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. McIssac was additional inducted into the Canadian Paralympic Committee Hall of Fame in 2013.[3]

As well as being the most decorated Canadian Paralympian and the first blind swimmer to the tumble turn, McIsaac is a legendary role model and his success, along with teammate Michael Edgson, they helped to build the paths of future star swimmers like Donovan Tildesley, Valerie Grand'Maison and Amber Thomas who are all blind swimmers.

References
  1. "Tim McIsaac - Swimming Canada". Swimming Canada. 9 August 2018.
  2. "Tim McIsaac - The Canadian Encyclopedia". The Canadian Encyclopedia. 9 August 2018.
  3. "Tim McIsaac, athlete". Canadian Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
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