When sa国际传媒鈥檚 best swimmers gather in April at Saanich Commonwealth Place for national trials leading to the world championships, they will do so knowing they owe a debt of gratitude to Ryan Cochrane.
The Victoria swimmer, who has won medals at the Olympic Games, Pan Am Games, Commonwealth Games and FINA world championships, announced his retirement from competition on Tuesday.
鈥淚 noticed at the Rio Olympics that this new generation has been totally normalized to win,鈥� Cochrane said after his announcement.
That, in no small part, is due to Cochrane.
The new generation of Canadian swimmers 鈥渁re the ones to watch and I am so excited for the future. I hope I provided some of that spark,鈥� he said.
The two-time Olympic medallist certainly did, with his long arms and paddle-board feet, and willingness to put in the long, hard miles in the Saanich pool. That allowed Cochrane to perform like clockwork when it counted in competition.
He was among sa国际传媒鈥檚 most reliable athletes, in any sport, during his 12-year international career.
鈥淏efore I even thought about making national teams, Ryan was my inspiration,鈥� new Canadian swim sensation Penny Oleksiak said in a statement.
Only 16 in Rio, Oleksiak won a breakout four Olympic medals last summer and appears poised to take a run at Cochrane鈥檚 Canadian-record 22 international medals.
鈥淸Cochrane] was not only sa国际传媒's most successful swimmer, but he always seemed to achieve his results with a smile and always had time for the younger athletes,鈥� Oleksiak said.
鈥淟ast year, in the lead-up to Rio, I was fortunate enough to receive personal advice from Ryan, about what was in store for me at the Games.
鈥淚 can never thank Ryan enough for all he has done for me and the sport.鈥�
Before the six-medal outbreak for sa国际传媒 in the pool at Rio, it was Cochrane who almost singlehandedly kept Canadian swimming relevant through otherwise lean years. sa国际传媒 did not win an Olympic swimming medal at Athens in 2004 and rookie Olympian Cochrane鈥檚 bronze medal in the 1,500-metre freestyle was sa国际传媒鈥檚 lone swimming medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
There were only two Canadian pool medals at the 2012 London Olympics, including Cochrane鈥檚 silver in the 1,500 freestyle.
鈥淎t a time when Swimming sa国际传媒 was rebuilding, it was Ryan Cochrane that stepped up and led by example, winning medals at multiple world championships and Olympics,鈥� said Mark Tewksbury, a Canadian sport leader and 1992 Barcelona Olympics swimming gold medallist.
鈥淭here was much excitement by the performance of the Canadian swimming team at Rio 2016. But that momentum started with Ryan鈥檚 medals at Beijing 2008 and London 2012.鈥�
Federal sport minister Carla Qualtrough said in a statement: 鈥淥n behalf of all Canadians, I want to congratulate and thank Ryan for his commitment . . . and outstanding contribution to our country鈥檚 rich sporting history.
Qualtrough praised Cochrane鈥檚 鈥渟trong advocacy for drug-free sport鈥� and said he had 鈥渋nspired and motivated hundreds of young people to get more active. He leaves a legacy of excellence, both in and outside the pool.鈥�
