Chris Renaud is a former backstroke

Backstroke

The backstroke, also sometimes called the back crawl, is one of the four swimming styles regulated by FINA, and the only regulated style swum on the back. This has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going. It is also the only...

 swimmer from Canada, who competed in two consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1996

Swimming at the 1996 Summer Olympics

The swimming competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics was held at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center in Atlanta, United States, which was built for the Games...

. His highlights include setting a world record in the short course 50 m Backstroke in 1997, and several Canadian titles. He is an alumnus of Bishop Carroll High School.

Renaud was the first Canadian to break the two minute barrier in the 200 m Backstroke, clocking 1:59.81 at the national championships in 1996, held just after the 1996 Summer Olympics

1996 Summer Olympics

The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....

. He temporarily retired in 1997 to re-examine his career options, however he returned to Canada in 1998 and competed at the 1998 Commonwealth Games

1998 Commonwealth Games

The 1998 XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11 September to 21 September 1998 making it the first Asian country to act as host and the last Commonwealth Games for the 20th century. A record 70 nations supplied 3638 athletes...

. His father Raymond Renaud

Raymond Renaud

Raymond Renaud was a politician in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He was mayor of the suburban community of Saint-Leonard from 1984 to 1990, leading the municipal Ralliement de Saint-Léonard party.-Councillor:...

 played hockey for the Montreal Junior Canadiens in 1967.