Rick Say
Encyclopedia
Richard Say (born May 18, 1979 in Salmon Arm, British Columbia
, Canada) is a 3-time Olympic and National Record holding swimmer
from Canada
. Say swam as a child for the Salmon Arm Sockeye Swim Club with his two brothers and two sisters. At the age of 18, he began attending the University of Victoria
and started to swim seriously. As of 2006, he swims full-time at the Pacific-Sport National Training Centre in Victoria.
Say has been a mainstay of the National Swim Team since 1998. His career to date includes 20 national titles and Canadian Records in 5 individual events (100 free, 200 free, 400 free (scm), 200 free and 400 free (lcm) – not to mention the vast number of national relay records he has been involved in. He has competed for Canada at three Olympic Games (2000
, 2004
and 2008
), reaching the finals of the 200 freestyle in 2000 and 2004. He has been to four World Championships (2001
, 2003
, 2005
and 2007
) where he was an integral part of Canada's relays which swam in the finals.
At the 2004 World Short Course Championships, Say won 3 medals – a silver in the 200 free, and bronze in both the 100 free and 4x100 free relay, both in Canadian record time. At the Commonwealth Games (1998, 2002) he earned 1 silver medal and 2 bronze medals. He has been to two Pan Pacific Championships (1999, 2002) winning 3 bronze medals, all in relays and placing a career high 4th for the 200 freestyle. At the Pan American Games (1999) he was a dual bronze medalist in the 400 free and 4x200 free relay.
At the 2004 Olympics, Say created a minor controversy after the 4x200m Free Relay
when immediately after the race and on a live national television broadcast, he expressed his disappointment in his team's 5th place performance in harsh terms. His team, however, bounced back to win two silver medals at the 2005 World Championships
in Montreal in 2005.
Since 2004, Say has been less successful, losing his national 200 metre freestyle title to Brent Hayden
, from Vancouver
, British Columbia. At the 2006 Commonwealth Games
in Melbourne, Australia, Say swam a world-class time of 1:48, but finished out of the medals in fourth place.
At the 2008 Summer Olympics
, he was a member of the Canadian team that finished sixth 4x100m Freestyle event and fifth in the 4x200m.
Salmon Arm, British Columbia
-Climate:- Education :Public schools in Salmon Arm are part of School District 83 North Okanagan-Shuswap; within the city limits, there are currently five elementary schools , one middle school , and a secondary school with two campuses...
, Canada) is a 3-time Olympic and National Record holding swimmer
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Say swam as a child for the Salmon Arm Sockeye Swim Club with his two brothers and two sisters. At the age of 18, he began attending the University of Victoria
University of Victoria
The University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
and started to swim seriously. As of 2006, he swims full-time at the Pacific-Sport National Training Centre in Victoria.
Say has been a mainstay of the National Swim Team since 1998. His career to date includes 20 national titles and Canadian Records in 5 individual events (100 free, 200 free, 400 free (scm), 200 free and 400 free (lcm) – not to mention the vast number of national relay records he has been involved in. He has competed for Canada at three Olympic Games (2000
Canada at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Canada competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.The final days of the Olympics for Canada was shadowed by the death and state funeral of Pierre Trudeau, their 15th prime minister...
, 2004
Canada at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Canada competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.The Canadian Olympic Committee sent a team of over 200 athletes, the lowest since Canada boycotted the games in 1980. This is a result of the COC changing its standards for qualifying, with the aim of sending fewer athletes but focusing...
and 2008
Canada at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Canada, which is represented by the Canadian Olympic Committee , competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China, from August 8 to 24, 2008. Canadian athletes have competed in every Summer Olympic Games since 1900, except the 1980 Summer Olympics which they boycotted...
), reaching the finals of the 200 freestyle in 2000 and 2004. He has been to four World Championships (2001
Swimming at the 2001 World Aquatics Championships
The swimming events of the 2001 World Aquatics Championships were held in a temporary pool at Marine Messe in Fukuoka, Japan in July 2001. This edition of the championships featured 20 events for both men and women, including the introduction of a 50 m event in all strokes and equality in the...
, 2003
Swimming at the 2003 World Aquatics Championships
The swimming events of the 2003 World Aquatics Championships were held in Barcelona, Spain in July 2003.-Medal table:-Men:Legend: WR – World record; CR – Championship record-Women:...
, 2005
Swimming at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships
The swimming events at the XI FINA World Championships took place in the Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, Canada from July 24–31, 2005.The swimming portion consisted of 50 events – 25 for men and 25 for women – all of which were swum in a long-course pool...
and 2007
Swimming at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships
The swimming competition at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships was held in Melbourne, Australia, from 25 March to 1 April.Morning/heats sessions began at 10:00 a.m., with the evening sessions beginning at 7:00 p.m. All events were contested in a long-course pool...
) where he was an integral part of Canada's relays which swam in the finals.
At the 2004 World Short Course Championships, Say won 3 medals – a silver in the 200 free, and bronze in both the 100 free and 4x100 free relay, both in Canadian record time. At the Commonwealth Games (1998, 2002) he earned 1 silver medal and 2 bronze medals. He has been to two Pan Pacific Championships (1999, 2002) winning 3 bronze medals, all in relays and placing a career high 4th for the 200 freestyle. At the Pan American Games (1999) he was a dual bronze medalist in the 400 free and 4x200 free relay.
At the 2004 Olympics, Say created a minor controversy after the 4x200m Free Relay
Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay
The men's 4×200 metre freestyle relay was a swimming event held as part of the Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics programme. The competition was held on August 17, 2004...
when immediately after the race and on a live national television broadcast, he expressed his disappointment in his team's 5th place performance in harsh terms. His team, however, bounced back to win two silver medals at the 2005 World Championships
Swimming at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships
The swimming events at the XI FINA World Championships took place in the Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, Canada from July 24–31, 2005.The swimming portion consisted of 50 events – 25 for men and 25 for women – all of which were swum in a long-course pool...
in Montreal in 2005.
Since 2004, Say has been less successful, losing his national 200 metre freestyle title to Brent Hayden
Brent Hayden
Brent Matthew Hayden is a Canadian swimmer.Hayden was born and raised in Mission, British Columbia and started swimming when he was five. In his youth, he earned a blackbelt in Isshin Ryu karate. He attended the University of British Columbia for one year...
, from Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia. At the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
in Melbourne, Australia, Say swam a world-class time of 1:48, but finished out of the medals in fourth place.
At the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, he was a member of the Canadian team that finished sixth 4x100m Freestyle event and fifth in the 4x200m.