Robert Charles Pirie was a Canadian champion swimmer who competed internationally during the 1930s.
Education
That year, in Hawaii, he broke the 220-yard world record long held by Johnny Weissmuller and finished third in the United States. national championships in the 110-yard and 220-yard freestyle races, with Japanese swimmers taking the top two spots in both races.
Career
At the time, he held every Canadian freestyle swimming record from 100 metres to two miles. Pirie attended and participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics. In the 400-metre freestyle and 1500-metre freestyle, he was eliminated in the semi-finals.
Pirie was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1975.
The Bob Pirie Trophy is presented each year by Swim Ontario to the top male swimmer in Ontario as selected by the Ontario Swimming Coaches" Association. The female swimmer of the year receives the Irene Pirie Trophy.
Membership
He was also a member of the Canadian relay team which finished seventh in the 4x200-metre freestyle relay.