The London Aquatic Club (LAC) has a proud history in competitive swimming dating back to 1947. Over the past seven decades the club has produced Olympians, Paralympians, World, National, and Provincial record-holders, and numerous international medalists. The club has consistently been one of Canada’s best, and has sent many fine young ambassadors of the Forest City to competitions at every level, regional, provincial, national and international. We hope you enjoy your look back in history – if you are a former LAC’er (or LYAC’er) visiting this site for the first time and have photos, articles or stories to share, please contact us.

In the Beginning...

In 1947 Andy Reekie and future University of Western Ontario coach Lillian McKellar started a swim program in London at the YMCA with Dr. Paul Hauch becoming the first Head Coach. The 1948 London "Y" Swim Team consisted of Jackie Tait, Kay Miles, Jean Tindall and Marilyn King. Dr Hauch went on to become the manager of the Canadian Olympic Team in 1956, the FINA Secretary to the Olympics in 1972, named to the Canadian Aquatic Hall Of Fame the following year and in 1990 inducted into the Swim Ontario Hall of Fame.

London had only one indoor pool in 1948 and because the YMCA was a men's only facility, the female swimmers could only train after receiving "special" permission. Future, international swimmer, Kay Miles and others trained in the Thames River at Gibbons Park in the summer months during the late 1940's and early 1950's. On Sundays the best Gibbons Park recreational swimmers swam at the St. Mary's quarry.

In 1950 Kay Miles, a product of the Gibbons Park playground, was named to Canada's team attending the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in New Zealand. At 16 years of age she finished 2nd in the 100 yd free style at the Olympic Trials. Kay went on to become the U.W.O women's coach from 1954 to 1956 and was later inducted into the U.W.O. sports Hall of Fame. Other early successes included:
* 1954 - Bev Eynon - British Empire Games & Commonwealth Games
* 1956 - Dr. Paul Hauch - Olympic Games – Melbourne (Swim Team Manager)
* 1959 - Dr. Pete Fowler - Pan Am Games - Chicago

The 60's

• 1960 - John Faulkner - U.W.O. - Head Coach - Olympic Games – Rome
  
• 1964 - Louise Kennedy - Olympic Games - Tokyo
  
• 1966 - Louise Kennedy - Commonwealth Games – Kingston, Jamaica (World Record Relay Team Member)
  
• 1967 - Canada's Team of the Year, Runner Up behind the Toronto Maple Leafs
  
• 1968 - Marilyn Corson – Olympic Games – Mexico City (relay bronze medal)

The 70's

• 1970 - Bill Kennedy- Commonwealth Games – Edinburgh, Scotland (gold medalist 100BK)
  
• 1970 – Dr.Paul Hauch retires as LAC Head Coach, Sonja Hodgins takes over the job
  
• 1971 – Harry Gallagher becomes Head Coach
  
• 1971 - Bill Kennedy - Pan Am Games
  
• 1972 - Bill Kennedy - Olympic Games - Munich
  
• 1972 - Dr. Paul Hauch – named FINA Secretary to the Olympics
  
• 1973 - Dr. Paul Hauch - named to the Canadian Aquatic Hall Of Fame
  
• 1974 – Brian Cartlidge hired as Head Coach

The 80's

• 1980 - Ken Fitzpatrick – Olympic Games – Moscow (boycott)
  
• 1984 – Melinda Copp and Ken Fitzpatrick - Olympic Games – Los Angeles (FitzpatrickTeam Captain)
  
• 1984 - Paul Midgley (Head Coach) and Donna Moskal (Age Group Coach) join LAC
  
• 1986 – Chris Chalmers, Kim Milne, Debbie Wurzburger, Paul Midgley - Commonwealth Games – Edinburgh, Scotland (Milne and Wurzburger bronze medalists 4x200FR relay, Chalmers bronze medal 1500FR)
  
• 1986 – Chris Chalmers, Debbie Wurzburger, Paul Midgley – World Championships - Madrid
  
• 1987 - Chris Chalmers and Megan Holliday - Pan-Am Games – Indianapolis (Chalmers silver&bronze medalist 1500FR & 4x200FR relay, Holliday double bronze medalist 400/800FR)
  
• 1988 - Chris Chalmers and Debbie Wurzburger - Olympic Games – Seoul (Wurzburger sets Canadian record in 800FR)
  
• 1989 - Jo-anne Currah - Pan-Pacific Games - Tokyo (bronze medalist 4x200FR relay)

The 90's

• 1990 - Dr. Paul Hauch - inducted into the Swim Ontario Hall of Fame
• 1990 - Jo-anne Currah - Commonwealth Games – Auckland, New Zealand
• 1991 – London Aquatic Centre opens on Wonderland Road North
• 1991 – Jo-anne Currah and Dave McLellan – Pan-Pacific Championships - Edmonton
• 1991 - Sheila Hewerdine - Pan-Am Games - Havana
• 1992 - Beth Hazel, Dave McLellan, Paul Midgley - Olympic Games – Barcelona
• 1992 - Jessie and Marie Claire Ross – Paralympic Games – Barcelona
• 1992 – Andrew Craven (Age Group Coach) joins LAC
• 1993 – Dave McLellan - Pan-Pacific Games – Kobe, Japan
  
• 1993 - Chris Hollins - Member of the Canadian Team for the Deaf
  
• 1994 - Marilyn Corson inducted into the Ontario Aquatic Hall of Fame
  
• 1994 - Jo-anne Currah, Beth Hazel - Commonwealth Games – Victoria, B.C.
  
• 1994 – Jo-anne Currah, Beth Hazel – World Championships - Rome
  
• 1994 - Marie Claire Ross, Adam Purdy – International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Championships - Malta
  
• 1995 - Louise Kennedy inducted into the Ontario Aquatic Hall of Fame
  
• 1995 – Dave McLellan – Pan-Pacific Championships - Atlanta
  
• 1995 - Tim Crellin, Adam Purdy – Atlanta International Swim Trials for the Disabled
  
• 1995 - Jamie White - Canadian Junior National Team, 5 time Canadian record holder
  
• 1996 - Ontario Short Course Provincial Age Group Champions
  
• 1996 - Adam Purdy - Paralympic Games - Atlanta
  
• 1997 - Adam Purdy named SNC Male Swimmer of the Year in the Swimmers with a Disability category
  
• 1997 - Marie Dannhaeuser, Tim Crellin, Adam Purdy, Andrew Craven - SWAD National Team - U.S. Nationals, Springfield, Mass.
  
• 1997 - Ben Carp – Maccabiah Games
  
• 1998 - Adam Purdy, Andrew Craven – IPC World Championships - Christchurch, New Zealand (double gold medalist & world record setter, 100BK&400 Medley Relay)
• 1999 - David Chisholm – Pan-Pacific 25K Open Water Championships - Sydney

2000 and Beyond

• 2000 - Marie Dannhaeuser, Adam Purdy, Andrew Craven – Paralympic Games - Sydney (Purdy double gold medalist 100BK, 400 Medley Relay)
• 2000 - Ontario Short Course Provincial Age Group Champions
• 2001 - Joe Bartoch – Canadian Junior National Team selection
• 2001 - London hosts Canada Summer Games – Brad Vanderkam wins 2 gold, 1 silver as member of Team Ontario
• 2002 – Marie Dannhaeuser, Darda Geiger, Adam Purdy, Brad Sales, Andrew Craven – IPC World Championships – Mar del Plata, Argentina (Purdy gold&bronze medalist, 100BK&400 Medley Relay, Geiger gold medal 400FR Relay, Dannhaeuser bronze medal 400FR, Sales bronze medal 400 Medley Relay)
• 2002 – LAC takes over University of Western Ontario Varsity swimming program (Paul Midgley Head Coach, Kim Brochu Associate Coach)
• 2004 – Andrea Cole, Darda Geiger, Adam Purdy, Brad Sales – Paralympic Games – Athens (Cole silver&bronze medalist, 100FL and 400FR Relay, Geiger silver medal 400 Medley Relay)
• 2004 – Joe Bartoch – World Short Course Championships - Indianapolis 
• 2005 - Joe Bartoch - FISU Games - Turkey
• 2006 - LAC hosts Ontario Age Group Championships (February) and the 1st ever Can-Am   Disability Championships (April)
• 2006 - Joe Bartoch - Pan-Pacific Championships (Victoria)
• 2006 - Andrea Cole, Darda Geiger, Adam Purdy, Brad Sales - IPC World Champs (South Africa - Geiger won a gold & 2 bronze, Cole silver & bronze medalist, 400FR and 400FR Relay)
• 2006 - Justin Kemp - SWAD Junior National Team (Minneapolis)
• 2007 - Joe Bartoch - Pan-American Games (Rio de Janeiro), won bronze medal in the 4x100 Medley Relay
• 2007 - Joe Bartoch - FISU Games (Thailand)
• 2007 - Andrea Cole, Darda Geiger and Brad Sales went to the Para-Pan-Am Games in Rio de Janeiro
• 2007 - Hayley Nell won 5 gold medals as part of Team Canada at the first-ever North American Challenge Cup in Los Angeles, CA