Bob Pirie - Background

Background

Pirie was unanimously selected as the Lou Marsh Trophy winner for 1939, recognizing Canada's top athlete. That year, in Hawaii, he broke the 220 yards world record long held by Johnny Weissmuller and finished third in the U.S. national championships in the 110 yards and 220 yards races, with Japanese swimmers taking the top two spots in both races. At the time, he held every Canadian freestyle swimming record from 100 metres to two miles.

Earlier, Pirie won silver and bronze in freestyle events at the 1934 British Empire Games. His sister, Irene Pirie, also won individual silver and bronze freestyle medals at the same games. Four years later, at the 1938 British Empire Games, Pirie won gold in the 110-yard freestyle and the 440-yard freestyle events, and silver in the 1650-yard freestyle race. Pirie attended and participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics. In the 400 metre freestyle event as well as in the 1500 metre freestyle competition he was eliminated in the semi-finals. He was also a member of the Canadian relay team which finished seventh in the 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay contest.

Pirie was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1975. The Bob Pirie Trophy is presented each year by Swim Ontario to the top male swimmer in Ontario as selected by the Ontario Swimming Coaches’ Association. The female swimmer of the year receives the Irene Pirie Trophy.