Swimming phenom from northern Alberta is ‘rewriting the report books’

Oliver Dawson was grinning from ear to ear on Canada Day as he waved at crowds from his perch atop a Buick convertible that led a parade down considered one of Grande Prairie’s most important drags.

With two nationwide swimming data and his sights set on an Olympic profession, the 18-year-old from northwestern Alberta has loads of causes to smile.

“He’s not simply winning races, he’s rewriting record books right now,” stated Swim Alberta government director Shawn Holman. “But the big thing is he’s still improving at a pretty good rate here. So his trajectory is phenomenal.”

In May, Dawson set two new Canadian data within the males’s breaststroke class at a global competitors in London. He completed the 50-metre dash in 27.29 seconds and 100-metre occasion in 59.33, eclipsing Canadian data set in 2009 and 2012 respectively.

“I still don’t think it’s hit me,” Dawson informed CBC News in an interview someday earlier than he took on the position of parade marshal for the town’s Canada Day festivities.

Dawson fell 0.09 seconds wanting beating the Canadian males’s 200-metre breaststroke report at that competitors, however stated he expects there will probably be loads of alternatives to attempt once more. 

That report sits at 2:08.84 and was set by Mike Brown on the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“For me to take the 50 [and] 100 shows that, hopefully, I can get the 200,” Dawson stated.

He will probably be competing on the 2026 Bell Canadian Swimming Trials in Montreal from July 5-9 and can characterize Canada on the Commonwealth Games, which get underway in Scotland on July 23.

Dawson presently has a bronze medal on the world swimming championships in Singapore and has competed in Australia, Hungary and the United States. 

Holman stated Dawson’s younger age makes his achievement much more spectacular and known as him “a role model” inside the Alberta swimming group.

“What [Dawson] showcases is that you can become a competitive swimmer and a successful competitive swimmer from anywhere. You don’t need to be in a big city,” Holman stated, including that having a facility, sufficient pool time and a powerful coach are an important facets.

His coach, coincidentally, is his father Alex Dawson.

The household moved from England to Grande Prairie, about 450 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, when Oliver was seven in order that Alex Dawson might take the job as coach and director of the Grande Prairie Piranhas. 

His choice to maneuver was influenced by the standard of the Eastlink Aquatic Centre, inbuilt 2013, and the bettering calibre of Canadian swimmers on the time.

“It’s a 50-metre, world-class facility. So to get that opportunity to coach an up-and-coming program was pretty exciting,” Alex Dawson stated.

There have been roughly 100 Grande Prairie Pirhana membership members when Alex Dawson took over. Today, he stated, there are 600 to 700 members between the assorted packages.

Although Oliver Dawson was inspired to attempt different sports activities like snowboarding, mountain biking or gymnastics, he at all times took to swimming.

At first, he stated, it was about spending time with associates and getting match. But as he acquired stronger within the pool, new alternatives got here his method.

“Things like going to different countries, representing your country, stuff like that – that’s what made the sport so special, being able to experience things that other people might not get to experience,” he stated.

Olympic goals 

Oliver Dawson stated though his father’s teaching and entry to very good services has been essential to his success up to now, he’s trying ahead to September when he’ll turn out to be a student-athlete beginning his scholarship at Indiana University.

“I’m going to train under Ray Looze, one of the best breaststroke coaches ever at one of the best breaststroke unis in the world, and I’m hoping to stay there for about six years,” Oliver stated.

If all goes as deliberate, he stated he hopes to characterize Canada on the 2028 and 2032 Olympics.

His dad can even be leaving Grande Prairie within the fall. Alex Dawson will begin as a efficiency coach on the Killarney Swim Club in Calgary for the 2026-27 season. 

He is assured that swimmers will proceed to seek out success in Grande Prairie with out the Dawsons concerned, because of the different instructors, services and tradition now in place.

WATCH | A Family Affair: An interview with Oliver and Alex Dawson:

A Family Affair: Canadian breaststroke record-holder Oliver Dawson & father/coach Alex Dawson

Joining The Ready Room is a father/son duo that’s profitable awards and breaking data. Oliver Dawson not too long ago set the Canadian data within the males’s 50M & 100M breaststroke and was .09s from the 200M report, cheered on and coached by his father Alex Dawson, each sitting down with Britt on this episode.

As for his son, Alex Dawson stated whether or not or not Oliver accomplishes his targets will probably be totally as much as him – although being beneath Looze’s tutelage is a step in the precise route.

“There’s no ceiling to what he could do if he wants to continue on that path,” he stated.