Winners: Mark Tewksbury, Swimming

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Mark Tewksbury’s Gold medal winning race in the 100m backstroke at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona

Mark Tewksbury swimming to Gold in the 100m backstroke at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.
Date: July 30, 1992
Collection: CP photo/ Hans Deryk

1992 - Feature Story

The finish wall was fast approaching and Calgary’s Mark Tewksbury knew he still had work to do. The 24-year-old backstroker had arrived at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona ranked fourth in the world in the 100m backstroke. He was a relay Silver medalist from the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, a double Silver medalist from the 1991 World Aquatics Championships at Perth and Silver medalist at the 1991 Pan-Pacific Swimming Championships in Edmonton. Tewksbury was clearly a contender, but was not known for his strong race starts.  At the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, he thrilled the crowd at the outdoor Olympic pool, rallying in the latter stages of the 100m backstroke final, to draw even with race leader and world record holder Jeff Rouse of the United States, just five metres from the finish. Two strokes later the race was over, but who won? The results board flashed Canada’s Tewksbury won the Gold medal in an Olympic record time of 53.98 seconds, just .06 ahead of America’s Rouse.

Career Highlights

  • 1992 Gold medal in 100m backstroke; Bronze medal in 4 x 100m medley relay at the Olympic Games in Barcelona
  • 1992 Lionel Conacher Award (Canada’s male athlete of the year)
  • 1991 Silver medallist in 50m backstroke (demonstration event) and the 100m backstroke at the World Aquatics Championships in Perth.
  • 1990 Gold medal winner in the 100m backstroke, and 4 x 100m medley relay at the Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand
  • 1988 Silver medallist in the 4 x 100m medley relay at the Olympic Games in Seoul
World Cup trophy for being the backstroke swimming champion

Swimming World Cup backstroke champion trophy.
Date: 1989-1990
Collection: Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum

Commonwealth Gold medal won by Mark Tewksbury

Gold medal won by Mark Tewksbury in the 100m backstroke at the Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand.
Date: 1990
Collection: Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum

Plaque presented to Mark Tewksbury

Plaque presented to Mark Tewksbury in recognition of his World record in the 100m backstroke.
Date: March 1, 1990
Collection: Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum

Plaque awarded to Mark Tewksbury

Plaque presented to Mark Tewksbury in recognition of his Gold medals in the 100m backstroke and the 4x100 medley relay at the Commonwealth Games.
Date: 1990
Collection: Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum

Silver medal won by Mark Tewksbury at a competition in Edmonton

Silver medal won by Mark Tewksbury in the 100m backstroke at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Edmonton, Canada.
Date: 1991
Collection: Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum

Silver medal won by Mark Tewksbury in the 100m backstroke

Silver medal won by Mark Tewksbury in the 100m backstroke at the World Aquatics Championships in Perth, Australia.
Date: 1991
Collection: Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum

A replica of the Lou Marsh Memorial Trophy

Lou Marsh replica Memorial Trophy.
Date: 1992
Collection: Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum

Mark Tewksbury’s swimsuit

Swimsuit worn by Mark Tewksbury during his 100m backstroke Gold medal win at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.
Date: 1992
Collection: Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum

A photograph of the Lionel Conacher Award

The Lionel Conacher Award.
Date: 1992
Collection: Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum

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