Mark Tewksbury is a swimmer who has competed for Canada. He competed at the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympic Games.
Tewksbury was widely regarded as one of the world's top backstrokers through the early 1990s. At his first Olympics in 1988, he claimed a silver as a member of the Canadian team with Victor Davis, Thomas Ponting, and Sandy Goss in the 4x100 metres medley relay, trailing the Americans by more than three seconds. On the individual side, he failed to attain a medal in any of his individual races, finishing fifth in the 100 metres backstroke and reaching the B-final in the 200.
Tewksbury returned to his second Games four years later in Barcelona as a medal prospect in the 100 metres backstroke, with world-record-holder Jeff Rouse of the United States favored to win the gold. Coming behind at the final turn, Tewksbury produced a late charge to pass and upset Rouse on the final strokes of the race for his country's first gold at the Games. Furthermore, he became the first Canadian swimmer to win a gold since Los Angeles 1984. He also received a bronze in the 4x100 metres medley relay with his new teammates Jonathan Thomas Cleveland, Marcel Gery, and Stephen Clarke, completing a set of medals to his career haul.
Shortly after the Games, Tewksbury retired from competitive swimming. He joined a group of former Olympians appealing for the resignation of Juan Antonio Samaranch from the IOC. He became blatant around the world as an IOC critic.[1] He accused Swimming Canada's officials in the wake of the Canadians' poor feat at Athens 2004, where the country failed to attain a single medal.
Amid his criticisms to the IOC, Tewksbury was appointed as Canada's chef de mission for London 2012.
Olympic Results[]
Year | Event | Rank |
---|---|---|
1988 | Men's 100m backstroke | 5th |
Men's 200m backstroke | 12th | |
Men's 4x100m medley relay | ||
1992 | Men's 100m backstroke | |
Men's 4x100m medley relay |
1988[]
Discipline | Round | Time | |
---|---|---|---|
100 metres backstroke | Heats | 56.20 | |
A Final | 56.09 | ||
200 metres backstroke | Heats | 2:04.02 | |
B Final | 2:03.79 | ||
4x100 metres medley relay | Heats | 3:44.56 (57.05 split) |
|
Final | 3:39.28 (56.11 split) |
NR |
1992[]
Discipline | Round | Time | |
---|---|---|---|
100 metres backstroke | Heats | 54.75 | |
A Final | 53.98 | OR | |
4x100 metres medley relay | Heats | 3:42.47 (55.64 split) |
|
Final | 3:39.66 (54.09 split) |
References[]
- ↑ Heroux, Devin. "Mark Tewksbury still believes in the Olympics", Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 2 June 2017. Retrieved on 24 September 2023.