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Nickname | Big D | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | Canadian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | July 24, 1984|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 166 cm (5.45 ft) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 62 kg (137 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Strokes | Medley Freestyle Butterfly | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
College team | University of British Columbia Dolphins | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Donovan Tildesley (born July 24, 1984) is a retired blind Canadian swimmer. He was the flag bearer of Canada at the 2008 Paralympic Games. [1]
He started swimming at the age of nine. [2] Until 2000, he had swum in many provincial and national competitions, setting many Canadian records. [2]
He is the current world record holder for the 800-metre freestyle [3] and the 1500-metre freestyle. [3]
Tildesley graduated from the University of British Columbia in spring 2008 with an English degree [4] Donovan works full-time as an insurance broker for Buntain Insurance Agencies in Vancouver. [5] He also does public speaking and is a co-owner of a small radio station in Whistler, British Columbia. [4] In May 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia, Tildesley advocated for blind British Columbians to be given vaccine priority similar to vulnerable groups with other medical conditions. [5] Donovan is also a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and is currently contracted with Virgin Cruise Lines as an Accessibility Consultant. In 2024, Tildesley portrayed a blind veteran and lent his voice for the end narration of a Heritage Minute honouring Edwin Baker. [6]
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