Over his career, Tim McIsaac collected 14 gold, four silver and five bronze Paralympic medals. He also dominated the World Games, racing to five gold medals, four silver and eight bronze between from 1979-86.

Upsets are what make the NCAAs March Madness basketball tournament so terrific. It seems like every year theres a Cinderella team that busts up brackets, coming out of nowhere and knocking off a Final Four favourite.

It turns out Sports Showdown, the Free Press sports departments March Madness-style bracket to determine who readers choose as Manitobas greatest athlete of all time is no different as it featured an underdog story of its own.

Tim McIsaac, a blind Paralympic swimming legend from Winnipeg, was surprised when he got a text from his sister last month informing him hed been included in the 32-person bracket. But the 14-time Paralympic gold medallist definitely proved he belonged as he defeated hockey star Jennifer Botterill in the first round before pulling off an unexpected victory over Canadas most decorated Winter Olympian, speedskating icon Cindy Klassen, in the Super 16.

In the Excellent 8, McIsaac had the second-most votes that week. The only problem was he had fewer than speedskater/cyclist Clara Hughes, the athlete he was matched up against. "Thats not a bad person to lose to," McIsaac said recently.

McIsaac had a wealth of supporters, with family, friends, co-workers, the Para-sport community and some of the volunteer groups hes been involved with offering a collective push. Some of his support came from as far away as Brazil and Australia.

"It probably was more important to me than some of the other people in it. Obviously, Id never be able to compete on an equal footing to any of the people in there due to me having a disability and them not. Partly it was because I thought I could stand against them in something and win. Partly it was because I thought if I did win, it would command more respect for Para-sport, the Paralympic movement and the sport of swimming," said McIsaac, a 61-year-old who works as an accessibility co-ordinator for the Manitoba government.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Tim McIsaac enjoys some quality time with his faithful companion at home. In 1982, he was named the Manitoba male athlete of the year and Canadian athlete of the year.

"Im not making the kind of money Jonathan Toews does, I dont have people coming to me and saying Be the face of our corporate citizen campaign like Clara Hughes has, Im not a Lou Marsh trophy winner like Cindy Klassen is, and if I couldve been the last one standing at the end, as a Paralympian, and a Paralympian who competed several years ago... I thought it would really be an accomplishment if the kind of love, respect and admiration that got me this far could take me the rest of the way."

You cant win em all, but McIsaac nearly did back in his swimming days in the 1980s.

In addition to his 14 Paralympic gold medals, McIsaac won four silver and five bronze. He also dominated the World Games, racing to five gold medals, four silver and eight bronze between from 1979-86. In 1982, he was named the Manitoba male athlete of the year and Canadian athlete of the year.

Despite having so many awards and medals he cant even keep track of where they all are today, McIsaac said its not uncommon for his accomplishments and those of other Paralympians to be downplayed. He believes things have gotten better over the years, but theres still a ways to go to change peoples perspectives on Para-sports.

"Maybe not so much now, but back when I was doing it, and I think there are still some people who think this, that Para-sport, sports for the disabled and the Paralympics are just some recreational, rehabilitation thing to give us something to do and help us overcome our insecurities, our challenges and all that kind of stuff. It never was that for me," said McIsaac, from his Charleswood home.

"I always wanted to be in a sighted club. I think its great they have the Paralympics because I dont think you can compare an athlete with a disability against an able-bodied person any more than you can compare a man against a woman because of the physiology, but that doesnt mean their accomplishments are any less."

McIsaac was at his most comfortable in the pool a star athlete representing his country around the world. However, when he retired from swimming in 1992 and got a job at a bank, he had a difficult time adjusting to life without competition.

"It was kind of like I could see. The pool was the one place out of all places I went in the world where my blindness was the least limiting to me," said McIsaac, who began swimming as a youngster in his uncles backyard pool.

"Now Im out in this work world and things like work ethic, motivation and all these other things just didnt help me. They werent working. It just seemed like there were so many things beyond my control. Try as I might, I couldnt impress people and I couldnt be successful."

McIsaac wanted to help others avoid the same challenges he did. He returned to school and obtained his masters in arts and disability studies at the University of Manitoba in 2011, and is now toward his masters in education with specialization in counselling psychology. McIsaac is a part of an initiative, led by performance psychologist Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood and the Canadian Sports Centre Manitoba, called Terrific Tuesdays, a virtual support group for athletes, coaches and sport administrators during these uncertain times caused by the pandemic.

McIsaac was also behind Beyond The Glory, a group aimed to help athletes who are currently retired or about to retire from Paralympic Sport.

"I feel like I have an obligation to give something back, given all the privilege Ive had in my life and the opportunity I have in my life," said McIsaac, who has a 31-year-old son, Stephen. McIsaad has been married to his wife, Heather, for 20 years. "I know some of the things Ive suffered in silence with for a long time and I feel like the way to pay forward that opportunity is to try and see if I can help people have an easier time.

"Not necessarily that itll be easier to train or easier to compete, but hopefully they can manage those things mentally better than I was able to because we didnt have the kinds of supports that are out there now. Id like to be one of the people out there that does some of that supporting. It doesnt even necessarily have to be athletes. Im happy to work with anybody."

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31

Taylor AllenReporter

Eighteen years old and still in high school, Taylor got his start with the Free Press on June 1, 2011. Well, sort of.

Read full biography

Here is the original post:
McIsaac dominated in the pool - Winnipeg Free Press