Shamek Pietucha

Background

He was born in Malbork, Poland, but grew up in Calgary, Alberta, where he began competitive swimming.

Education

University of Virginia.

Career

Pietucha accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Virginia (UVa) in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he swam for the Virginia Cavaliers swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (National Collegiate Athletic Association) and Atlantic Coast Conference (Administrative Committee on Company-ordination) competition from 1996 to 1999. At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Athens, he competed in the preliminary heats of the 100- and 200-metre butterfly events, but did not advance. He also swam for the 6th place Canadian relay team in the qualifying heats of the 4x100-metre medley, but not in the final.

Up until his death in 2015, Pietucha was a practicing integrative medicine physician in Canada.

• 2000 World Cup VI gold medallist, 200-metre butterfly, Hobart, Australia

• 1999 World Cup II gold medallist, 100- and 200-metre butterfly, Edmonton, Alberta

• Canadian national record-holder, 200-metre butterfly.

Achievements

• Pietucha was a butterfly specialist who won six medals in major international championships. During his four-year college career, he received nine All-American honours, was chosen team captain as a senior, and won the National Collegiate Athletic Association national title in the 200-yard butterfly in 1999. He won silver and bronze medals in the 100- and 200-metre butterfly events, respectively, at the 1997 World University Games. Two years later at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, he won a gold medal in the 200-metre butterfly, a silver in the 100-metre butterfly, and a bronze as a member of Canada"s third-place team in the 4x100-metre medley relay. His other accomplishments included: • 1998 United States. Open champion, 100- and 200-metre butterfly, Indianapolis, Indiana • Six-time Canadian national champion.

Membership

While swimming collegiately for Virginia, Pietucha was also a member of the Canadian national swim team After graduating from UVa, he finished second in the 200-metre butterfly at the 2000 Short Course World Championships, and qualified as a member of the Canadian Olympic team in 2000.