荔枝视频

Canada's first gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics came from a Calgarian who swam for the Dinos. But, for Mark Tewksbury, Hon. LLD'10, Olympic glory was only the beginning. Years later, he stood before the United Nations advocating for the decriminalization of homosexuality, becoming one of the first openly gay Olympic champions at a time when that came with real risk.

Now, as the 荔枝视频 celebrates its 60th anniversary, Tewksbury remains deeply connected to campus. Here, he reflects on his time as a Dino, what surprised him most about winning gold, how he defines success now and his advice for students navigating their own paths.

From teen swimmer to Dino

Tewksbury鈥檚 relationship with U荔枝视频 began earlier than most. At just 14, he started training at the university pool, giving him early exposure to the varsity world before officially becoming a Dino. 

鈥淚t was my everything,鈥� he recalls. 鈥淚t was my community and it was my identity, and it was my passion and my dream to go to the Olympics. And so that was the place and the conduit to make it happen.鈥� 

When returning to campus now for speaking engagements during the university's 60th anniversary year, he sees how much has transformed. The University District development continues to surprise him. But MacEwan Hall remains frozen in time, looking exactly as it did when it opened in the 1970s, a constant amid decades of change. 

The team experience shaped him fundamentally from ages 14 to 24, transforming him from a teen into an independent young man. He loved being part of something, but, throughout those years, he carried a secret that created 鈥渁 little bit of a cloud over that period.鈥� 

As Tewksbury鈥檚 success grew 鈥� medals, sponsorships, national attention 鈥� the weight of hiding that he was gay compounded. 鈥淢y fear just got greater, and what I seemed to have to lose seemed to get greater,鈥� he says.

Beyond the gold

Most may assume that winning gold in Barcelona and making the cover of TIME magazine's Aug. 10, 1992 edition would have been the pinnacle of Tewksbury鈥檚 career. He sees it differently. 

鈥淚t turned out to be just the beginning for me,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y biggest life has been in the years post-swimming, with the gold medal serving as a foundation for everything I鈥檝e done since.鈥� 

The immediate aftermath wasn鈥檛 what anyone expected, with the tension between being closeted and becoming one of Canada鈥檚 most famous athletes becoming unbearable. By 1994, just two years after his Olympic victory, he had immigrated to Australia. 

鈥淚 had to figure out how to be me, and I couldn鈥檛 do it in Canada (at the time)鈥�, he explains. At 25, he was too well-known to simply attend university and live his life. There, he transferred to the University of New South Wales to finish his political science degree, eventually returning to Canada in 1996, to Toronto this time. 

It would be 1998, six years after winning gold, before he came out publicly. Despite his public speaking persona, he describes himself as 鈥渟urprisingly shy, slightly introverted and private,鈥� making the prospect of discussing his personal life publicly horrifying. He lost some friends and lucrative contracts, but many new and greater opportunities opened 鈥� a lesson in letting go to make space for something new.

The power of one ally

Years earlier, Tewksbury had confided in one person: Debbie Muir, BEd'75, a synchronized swimming coach who specialized in underwater technique 鈥� an area where his own coach had little expertise. Over half a year of collaboration while navigating a male-dominated system together, they built up trust and rapport. Eventually, Tewksbury felt comfortable enough to confide in her. 

鈥淚 had no idea how much it was weighing me down until I actually had somebody to share it with,鈥� he reflects. 鈥淎nd it was massive.鈥� 

Muir's support was discreet and an example of allyship he still points to today: being there for people without judgment and without forcing them into visibility before they鈥檙e ready. 鈥淭he best thing you can do is just be there, listen, support, and tell them that you鈥檙e here for them and you care about them no matter what,鈥� Tewksbury says.

Redefining success

When asked what success means to him now, Tewksbury doesn鈥檛 mention medals or achievements. He chose time over money throughout his life, always owning his schedule as an entrepreneur. He鈥檚 spent 24 years volunteering with Special Olympics Canada and countless hours with the Olympic movement and is grateful to public speaking for affording him the freedom to do activism and social-justice work without worrying about making a living from it. 

鈥淪uccess is happiness, and defining happiness on your own terms, not buying into what you鈥檙e sold," he says.

Back to school at 55

About three years ago, Tewksbury made another unexpected turn. At 55, he became an apprentice to cook with the Alberta government, attending school every Monday while working in a commercial kitchen. He admits it was terrifying and stressful, but he kept going. 

Now 58, he鈥檚 just finished that journey and is launching a new business in April: curated evenings that blend food, leadership development, public speaking and theatrical elements. After decades as a 鈥渞oad warrior鈥� travelling for speaking engagements, he wanted to stay home. More than that, after spending his post-swimming career focused on speaking and ideas, he craved something manual and physical again.

For students feeling pressured to have everything figured out, Tewksbury offers perspective from his recent experiences. 

鈥淚 went back to school at 55 and just finished that three-year process,鈥� he says, 鈥淪o, if you鈥檙e feeling behind the curve right now, please, you might figure it out in 30 years.鈥� 

Tewksbury also points out that many students who seem to have it all together likely don鈥檛. Others are feeling just as lost, but aren鈥檛 talking about it. His advice? Keep an open mind, especially when feeling scared and uncertain. 

鈥淲hen you get scared, you kind of shut into everything you know,鈥� he says. 鈥淚f you can just stay open ... at least you鈥檙e trying something. You鈥檙e not stuck.鈥� 

A message on connection

For LGBTQ2S+ students navigating their own journeys, Tewksbury emphasizes that healing takes time. Even after coming out at 30, it took another decade to feel fully integrated and authentic. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 okay if it鈥檚 going to take some time,鈥� he says. His advice centres on connection: finding one or two great friends or being part of a group where people care that you show up. 

鈥淓veryone needs to feel like they鈥檙e cared about, they matter, somebody loves them,鈥� Tewksbury says.

Looking back at his time as a Dino, despite carrying that secret, being part of the team prevented him from feeling overly isolated. It鈥檚 a reminder that while the journey may be complicated, no one has to go through it alone.