MONTREAL – As revealed in the documentary Les 34 rêves de Mme Papillon, broadcast today on ICI TOU.TV, Katerine Savard, three-time Olympian and Canadian swimming stalwart for more than a decade, is announcing her retirement after a career crowned with numerous international successes. She is embarking on a new adventure, devoting herself to education, with the aim of inspiring and guiding younger generations.
A career marked by international exploits
With 34 medals won at international competitions since joining the national team in 2010, Katerine Savard has left her mark on the history of Canadian swimming. Among her many achievements, several medals and titles stand out in particular:
– Olympic bronze medallist (4×200-m free relay – Rio 2016)
– World champion (4×100-m free relay – Abu Dhabi 2021)
– World champion (4×200-m free relay – Abu Dhabi 2021)
– World champion (4×50-m free relay – Abu Dhabi 2021)
– World champion (4×200-m free relay – Windsor 2016)
– Commonwealth Games gold medallist (100m butterfly – Glasgow 2014)
It was also in 2014 that Savard broke the Canadian record in the 100-m butterfly with a time of 57.27 seconds at the Canadian trials.
These records are testament to her consistency and ability to push her limits over the years. Her determination and hard work enabled her to distinguish herself in the butterfly events, where she held Canadian records and was among the best swimmers in the world.
“Katerine has always been a valuable member of our national swimming teams and deserves all the success she has achieved during her brilliant career,” said Swimming Canada High Performance Director and National Coach John Atkinson. “In my eyes, her gold medal win at the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and her Olympic medal are among the highlights of her journey with the national team. Katerine’s longevity with the national team is also due to her commitment to the sport. We know that this determination will always be a great quality of character as she embarks on the next phase of her career and life. We wish Katerine all the best and congratulate her on her swimming career.”
From the pool to the classroom: a new vocation A graduate in pre-school and primary education, Katerine Savard is now devoting herself to passing on her knowledge and values to young people.
‘I remember always wanting to be a teacher, long before I dreamed of becoming an athlete. I grew up playing the teacher, and today I’m happy to be able to fulfil that dream,’ explains Katerine. For her, teaching is more than just passing on knowledge. ‘What motivates me is helping my pupils to dream big.
Maggie Mac Neil, former world and Olympic champion in the 100-m butterfly, recalls meeting Savard 10 years ago when her coach arranged for her to train with Savard’s group at CAMO for a week.
“She was Canada’s top 100 butterflyer and I was just trying to keep up, I was this little kid just tagging along. I saw her work ethic back then and it hasn’t changed since,” said Mac Neil, who also recently announced her retirement.
“She was, and continues to be, one of my greatest inspirations,” Mac Neil said. “I think she is the epitome of what it means to be a Canadian Olympian, and is a great role model for other up and comers and inspiring them to pursue their dreams. Hopefully these little kids that she’s going to teach will feel the same way.”