Joanne Malar
Encyclopedia
Joanne Malar is a former medley
swimmer from Canada
, who competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1992.
. She attended McMaster University
and St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School
.
Malar’s first pool experience was when she was five weeks old. She started racing at five. At ten, she set her first provincial record. Two years later, Malar went to her first national swim meet, this was the 1988 Olympic Trials. Besides being a talented swimmer, she was a gifted basketball
player. In grade nine, she chose swimming over basketball as her preferred sport.
, she won two silvers and a bronze. At the 1994 LC World Championships, she came in fourth for the 400m Individual Medley. In 1995, she won four golds and a bronze.
In 1995, at the 1995 FINA Short Course World Championships
, she won two gold medals. That same year at the 1995 Pan American Games
, she won a bronze and two gold medals, having developed a new swimming style.
There were high expectations for Malar to medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics
in Atlanta, Georgia
. Due to her potential, she appeared on the box for Kellogg's
Special K
(in a black bathing suit) and a television ad for Salon Selectives
Shampoo conditioner. In the 400m Medley, considered her strongest event, she failed to make the finals. In the 200m Medley, Malar finished fourth just narrowly missing the podium, while Canadian teammate Marianne Limpert
took the silver. Ireland's Michelle Smith
won that race, ending up with three gold medals from the Atlanta Games.
Malar won Gold at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
.
In 1999, at the 1999 FINA Short Course World Championships
, Malar achieved silver and bronze. At the 1999 Pan American Games
and 1999 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships
, she won two gold medals each time.
At the 2000 Summer Olympics
, Malar finished fifth in the 200 Medley, with Limpert fourth. Malar also finished 7th in the 400m Medley.http://www.canoe.ca/2000GamesMalar/malar_00sep19.html Malar and Curtis Myden
were sponsored by Sears Canada
around these Games. The Sydney Olympics was a subpar performance for Swimming Canada, leading to heavy criticism of head coach Dave Johnson
, as only medal was Curtis Myden
's bronze.
Three years later in May 2003, Malar revealed that she was coming out of retirement, a big surprise to many. At the 2003 Pan American Games
she won one gold and came in fourth twice. Admittingly, countries use this event for international experience for the upcoming swimmers. Malar failed to qualify for the 2004 Olympics after finished fourth in the 400m Medley. She retired from competitive swimming afterwards, with 30 national titles and over 70 International medals to her name.
and is also a Holistic Nutritionalist (RHN) for La Sante Life at the Regent Health Centre on 150 Locke street in Hamilton. She currently lives in Summerland, B.C where she helps coach the local swim club(Orca).She lives there with her second husband, Delano Ducheck, and their two sons Desmond and Mateo.
Medley swimming
Medley is a combination of four different swimming styles into one race. This race is either swum by one swimmer as individual medley or by four swimmers as a medley relay...
swimmer 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...
, who competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1992.
Early life
Swimming was important to her and her family, because her family camped often. She has two sisters and a brother, and speaks FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. She attended McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
and St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School
St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School
St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School is one of 7 Catholic High Schools in Hamilton, Ontario under the jurisdiction of the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board...
.
Malar’s first pool experience was when she was five weeks old. She started racing at five. At ten, she set her first provincial record. Two years later, Malar went to her first national swim meet, this was the 1988 Olympic Trials. Besides being a talented swimmer, she was a gifted basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. In grade nine, she chose swimming over basketball as her preferred sport.
Swimming career
When Malar began her swimming career, she impressed many people with her unexpected success early on. At the 1991 Pan American Games1991 Pan American Games
The 11th Pan American Games were held in Havana, Cuba from August 2 to August 18, 1991. There were a total number of 4,519 athletes from 39 countries of the PASO community, with events held in 32 different sports...
, she won two silvers and a bronze. At the 1994 LC World Championships, she came in fourth for the 400m Individual Medley. In 1995, she won four golds and a bronze.
In 1995, at the 1995 FINA Short Course World Championships
1995 FINA Short Course World Championships
The 2nd FINA World Swimming Championships were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 30 November until 3 December 1995. This event was considered a trailblazer in the aspect of the organization of major championships in swimming...
, she won two gold medals. That same year at the 1995 Pan American Games
1995 Pan American Games
The 12th Pan American Games were held in Mar del Plata, Argentina, from March 12 to March 26, 1995. After 44 years, this was the Pan American Games first return to the country that hosted the first Games, in 1951.-Overview:...
, she won a bronze and two gold medals, having developed a new swimming style.
There were high expectations for Malar to medal at 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....
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. Due to her potential, she appeared on the box for Kellogg's
Kellogg Company
Kellogg Company , is a producer of cereal and convenience foods, including cookies, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit-flavored snacks, frozen waffles, and vegetarian foods...
Special K
Special K
Special K is a lightly toasted breakfast cereal manufactured by the Kellogg Company. The cereal was introduced to the United States in 1956. It is made primarily from rice and wheat....
(in a black bathing suit) and a television ad for Salon Selectives
Salon Selectives
Salon Selectives is a line of hair care products, ranging from shampoos and hair conditioners to mousses, sprays, gels, and oils. Salon Selectives was the first salon-inspired mass market hair care brand, introduced by Helene Curtis in 1987...
Shampoo conditioner. In the 400m Medley, considered her strongest event, she failed to make the finals. In the 200m Medley, Malar finished fourth just narrowly missing the podium, while Canadian teammate Marianne Limpert
Marianne Limpert
Marianne Louise Limpert is a former freestyle and medley swimmer who competed the Summer Olympics for Canada in 1992, 1996 and 2000, and won the silver medal in the 200m Individual Medley in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia...
took the silver. Ireland's Michelle Smith
Michelle Smith
Michelle Smith is a retired Irish swimmer and practising Irish barrister. She was a triple gold medallist at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, for the 400 m individual medley, 400 m freestyle and 200 m individual medley...
won that race, ending up with three gold medals from the Atlanta Games.
Malar won Gold 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...
.
In 1999, at the 1999 FINA Short Course World Championships
1999 FINA Short Course World Championships
The 4th FINA Short Course World Championships were held in Hong Kong Coliseum, Hong Kong from 1–4 April 1999.-50 m Freestyle:-100 m Freestyle:-200 m Freestyle:-400 m Freestyle:-1500 m Freestyle:-50 m Backstroke:-100 m Backstroke:...
, Malar achieved silver and bronze. At the 1999 Pan American Games
1999 Pan American Games
The 1999 Pan American Games, officially the XIII Pan American Games or the 13th Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event that was held from July 23-August 8, 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Approximately 5,000 athletes from 42 nations participated at the games. The 1999...
and 1999 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships
1999 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships
The eighth edition of the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, a long course event, was held in 1999 at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre in Sydney, Australia, from 22–29 August...
, she won two gold medals each time.
At the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, Malar finished fifth in the 200 Medley, with Limpert fourth. Malar also finished 7th in the 400m Medley.http://www.canoe.ca/2000GamesMalar/malar_00sep19.html Malar and Curtis Myden
Curtis Myden
Curtis Allen Myden is a former international breaststroke and medley swimmer from Canada, who competed at three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1992 . He won a total number of three medals at the Olympics, all of them bronze...
were sponsored by Sears Canada
Sears Canada
Sears Canada Inc. is a retailer, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, that operates in all provinces and territories across Canada with a network of 196 corporate stores, 195 dealer stores, 38 home improvement showrooms, 108 Sears Travel offices and a nationwide home maintenance, repair, and...
around these Games. The Sydney Olympics was a subpar performance for Swimming Canada, leading to heavy criticism of head coach Dave Johnson
Dave Johnson (swim coach)
Dave Johnson is the former head coach for Swimming Canada, serving in that capacity from 1993 to 2004. His twin brother Tom is currently a coach for Swim Canada. Dave Johnson is currently the head coach of the Cascade Swim Club in Calgary.Johnson became head coach in 1988 after Don Talbot was...
, as only medal was Curtis Myden
Curtis Myden
Curtis Allen Myden is a former international breaststroke and medley swimmer from Canada, who competed at three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1992 . He won a total number of three medals at the Olympics, all of them bronze...
's bronze.
Three years later in May 2003, Malar revealed that she was coming out of retirement, a big surprise to many. At the 2003 Pan American Games
2003 Pan American Games
The 14th Pan American Games were held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from 1 to 17 August 2003. The successful bid for the games was made in the mid-1990s, when this country had one of the highest growth rates in Latin America....
she won one gold and came in fourth twice. Admittingly, countries use this event for international experience for the upcoming swimmers. Malar failed to qualify for the 2004 Olympics after finished fourth in the 400m Medley. She retired from competitive swimming afterwards, with 30 national titles and over 70 International medals to her name.
Retirement
Malar has done several interviews in her hometown of Hamilton for CH TV 11CHCH-TV
CHCH-DT, channel 11, is a television station originating in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, with transmitters located throughout Ontario. CHCH currently operates as an independent station, having previously served as a CBC Television affiliate, and more recently as the flagship station of the...
and is also a Holistic Nutritionalist (RHN) for La Sante Life at the Regent Health Centre on 150 Locke street in Hamilton. She currently lives in Summerland, B.C where she helps coach the local swim club(Orca).She lives there with her second husband, Delano Ducheck, and their two sons Desmond and Mateo.