Stephanie Dixon

Stephanie Dixon visited Rio de Janerio and San Paulo, Brazil in March 2007 as an Ambassador of the Rio 2007 Parapanamerican Games. On the visit, she raised awareness of the need for equal sporting opportunities for all athletes. One of Canada’s most successful international swimmers with a disability, Dixon headed out west to the University of Victoria in September 2003 to pursue her swimming career and begin studies in psychology. She swims under coaches Ron Jacks and Peter Vizsolyi at Pacific Coast Swimming and the University of Victoria. She began swimming lessons when she was two, and was instantly hooked. At 13, Dixon, who was born with one leg, began swimming competitively against able-bodied athletes. By 14, she had made Canada’s national team for swimmers with a disability. At the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, she won four gold medals as a 16-year old with world records in the 100m backstroke, 100m and 400m freestyle.  In Athens, she won one gold, six silver and one bronze. At the 2006 IPC Swimming World Championships in South Africa, she set a world record in the 100m backstroke in a time of 1:09.61 for gold. Her other interests include rock climbing and kayaking.