Toronto Star's Kerry Gillespie profiles Byron MacDonald, U of T's celebrated swimming coach and long-time analyst for CBC.
Byron MacDonald is closing in on half a century in the broadcast booth as a swimming analyst for CBC so it’s understandable that he needs a moment when asked to name a favourite Olympic race.
“That’s interesting, possibly Alex Baumann winning the gold medal in the 400 (individual medley) in 1984,” he said.
“A, it was my first Olympics in television. And B, it was Canada’s first Olympic gold medal in 72 years. He was going in as the world-record holder so he was supposed to win and then, all of a sudden, the Brazilian kid started to make a move and it was like, yikes, it’s getting a little close here. And then Alex kind of put it away. That was a very exciting race.”