Last Friday, three-time Olympian and Canadian record holding swimmer Rick Say, of Salmon Arm was inducted into the Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame in Vernon.
Also inducted were Vernon hockey legend Odie Lowe and basketball guru Mel Briggeman, in the builders category, while the two-time B.C. Junior Hockey League champion Vernon Essos will be entered in the teams category.
“The committee is honoured to select such a worthy group of people,” said hall of fame director Roger Knox.
Say was born May 18, 1979 in Salmon Arm, where he swam as a child for the Salmon Arm Sockeyes 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 more seriously.
Say was a regular on the Canadian National swim team from 1998-2008 racking up 20 national titles, 16 medals in the World Championships, PanAm Games, Pan Pacific Games, and Commonwealth Games combined, five Canadian records in individual events and a large amount of national relay medals.
He has competed for Canada in the Olympic Games, 2000, 2004, and 2008, where he reached the finals of the 200 metre freestyle in 2000 and 2004.
Say also represented Canada in the World Championships in 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2007, in which he was an integral part of the relay teams in the finals.
