Name Michelle Calkins | ||
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Michelle Calkins is a former Canadian synchronized swimmer, world champion and coach.
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Career
Calkins trained with the Calgary Aquabelles. In her first international competition she won a silver medal in the team event at the 1973 World Aquatics Championships in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. She was also a member of the silver medal team at the 1975 Pan American Games. Her most notable successes came with her partner Helen Vanderburg. They won the duet event at the Canadian Aquatic Championships twice, in 1977 and 1978 and they won the duet competition at the 1978 World Aquatics Championships, being the first Canadian duo to earn gold medals in that event. Calkins retired from competition in 1978.
Coaching
After she retired from her swimming career she began coaching with the Calgary Aquabelles. She began serving as a coach of the Canadian National Team in synchronized swimming in 1988. Calkins was coach of the 1996 Canadian Olympic synchronized swim team. She has since retired from coaching.
Titles
1973
World Championships - silver in team
1975
Pan American Games - silver in team
Pan Pacific Championships - silver in team
1977
Pan Pacific Championships - gold in duet
1978
World Championships - gold in duet
Honours
Calkins and Vanderburg won the Elaine Tanner award as the best young female athletes in Canada. She was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 1980, and became a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2001.