Markus Thormeyer

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Markus Thormeyer

| image = Markus Thormeyer.jpg

| image_size = 230 px

| alt =

| caption = Thormeyer in 2021

| fullname =

| nicknames =

| national_team = {{CAN}}

| strokes = Backstroke, Freestyle

| club = High Performance Centre-Vancouver, Winskill Dolphins Swim Club

| coach =

| collegeteam = University of British Columbia

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|8|25}}

| birth_place = Newmarket, Ontario, Canada

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = {{convert|1.98|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|90|kg|lb|abbr=on}}

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{CAN}}}}

}}

Markus Thormeyer (born August 25, 1997) is a Canadian competitive swimmer who specializes in freestyle and backstroke. Originally from Delta, Thormeyer moved in 2015 to Vancouver, British Columbia after graduating high school to train with the High Performance Centre-Vancouver. While he swims he is also pursuing an undergraduate degree in environmental science at the University of British Columbia.{{Cite news|url=https://olympic.ca/team-canada/markus-thormeyer/|title=Markus Thormeyer|date=2015-04-10|work=Team Canada - Official 2018 Olympic Team Website|access-date=2018-05-06|language=en-US|archive-date=2022-06-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220604151719/https://olympic.ca/team-canada/markus-thormeyer/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://gothunderbirds.ca/roster.aspx?rp_id=6270|title=The University of British Columbia Athletics|website=gothunderbirds.ca|language=en|access-date=2018-05-06|archive-date=2018-06-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625161155/https://gothunderbirds.ca/roster.aspx?rp_id=6270|url-status=live}}

Career

Thormeyer began swimming at the age of 10 for the Markham Aquatic Club in Markham, Ontario but moved across the country to Delta, British Columbia shortly after he started. He continued to swim competitively under the Winskill Dolphins Swim Club through to his high school graduation.

=2013–2016=

As an age-group swimmer, Thormeyer made a name for himself on the Canadian swimming scene. At 15 he competed at the 2013 Canada Summer Games for Team British Columbia, where he earned a bronze in the men's 100m backstroke. He also represented Canada multiple times on the junior international stage, being the youngest male on Canada's team at the 2013 World Junior Swimming Championships and winning five bronze medals at the 2014 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.{{Cite news|url=https://swimming.ca/en/swimmer/markus-thormeyer/|title=Markus Thormeyer|work=Swimming Canada|access-date=2018-05-06|language=en-US|archive-date=2017-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909010936/http://swimming.ca/en/swimmer/markus-thormeyer/|url-status=live}} These accomplishments earned him the Delta Sport's Hall of Fame 2014 Youth Athlete of the Year and the Sport BC Junior Male Athlete of the Year in 2016.{{Cite web|url=http://www.deltasportshalloffame.ca/project/markus-thormeyer/|title=Markus Thormeyer {{!}} Delta Sports Hall of Fame|website=www.deltasportshalloffame.ca|language=en-US|access-date=2018-05-28|archive-date=2018-05-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180528135735/http://www.deltasportshalloffame.ca/project/markus-thormeyer/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=http://sportbc.com/programs-and-events/athlete-of-the-year-awards/athlete-of-the-year-recipients-history/|title=Past Recipients - Sport BC|website=sportbc.com|language=en|access-date=2018-05-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141202080953/http://sportbc.com/programs-and-events/athlete-of-the-year-awards/athlete-of-the-year-recipients-history/|archive-date=2014-12-02|url-status=dead}}

It was not until 2015 when Thormeyer made his first senior international appearance at the 2015 Pan American Games where he won a silver as a part of the 4x100 m freestyle relay.{{Cite web |url=http://results.toronto2015.org/IRS/en/swimming/athlete-profile-n10182695-thormeyer-markus.htm |title=Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games profile |access-date=2016-05-19 |archive-date=2017-05-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510115809/http://results.toronto2015.org/IRS/en/swimming/athlete-profile-n10182695-thormeyer-markus.htm |url-status=dead }} Later that summer at the 2015 FINA World Junior Swimming Championships, Thormeyer went along to win gold while also setting a new world junior record with Penny Oleksiak, Taylor Ruck, and Javier Acevedo on Canada's mixed 4 × 100 m freestyle relay.

After winning a gold and two bronzes at the Canadian Olympic Trials in 2016, he was named to Canada's Olympic team for the 2016 Summer Olympics.{{cite web|url=https://www.swimming.ca/en/news/2016/04/10/swimming-canada-team-nominated-rio-2016-2/|title=Olympic Team Nominated for Rio 2016|date=10 April 2016|website=Swimming Canada|accessdate=27 April 2016|archive-date=26 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170626235028/http://www.swimming.ca/en/news/2016/04/10/swimming-canada-team-nominated-rio-2016-2/|url-status=live}} Thormeyer swam the third leg of the men's 4 × 100 m freestyle relay which qualified for the final in fifth place, but ultimately placed seventh overall in the final. Later that year in December, Thormeyer won a bronze medal as part of Canada's 4x50m mixed freestyle event alongside Sandrine Mainville, Michelle Toro, and Yuri Kisil at the World Short Course Championships in Windsor, Ontario.

=2017–2021=

Thormeyer was also a part of the University of British Columbia varsity swim team. Winning multiple individual events and contributing as a key swimmer for the relays earned him the title of both U Sports Rookie of the Year and UBC Thunderbirds Rookie of the Year in his first year on the collegiate stage.{{Cite web|url=http://gothunderbirds.ca/news/2017/4/5/general-the-2017-big-block-award-winners-are.aspx|title=The 2017 Big Block Award Winners are... - The University of British Columbia|website=University of British Columbia|date=5 April 2017 |language=en|access-date=2018-05-05|archive-date=2018-05-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180506103815/http://gothunderbirds.ca/news/2017/4/5/general-the-2017-big-block-award-winners-are.aspx|url-status=live}} As part of the Thunderbirds, he contributing to multiple Canada West Championship titles and U Sport Championship national titles.{{Cite news|url=https://usports.ca/en/championships/swimming/x/news/2018/02/2624642177/day-3|title=Championship recap Day 3: T-Birds sweep national banners for second straight season|work=U SPORTS|access-date=2018-05-05|language=en|archive-date=2019-04-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404173235/https://usports.ca/en/championships/swimming/x/news/2018/02/2624642177/day-3|url-status=live}}

In April 2017, Thormeyer was named to Canada's 2017 World Aquatics Championships team in Budapest, Hungary, where he contributed to a bronze medal for Canada in the 4 × 100 m mixed freestyle relay.{{cite web|last=Sutherland|first=James|url=https://swimswam.com/canada-send-26-pool-6-open-water-swimmers-world-championships/|title=Canada To Send 26 Pool, 6 Open Water Swimmers To World Championships|date=9 April 2017|website=www.swimswam.com|publisher=Swim Swam|access-date=10 April 2017|archive-date=29 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329113023/https://swimswam.com/canada-send-26-pool-6-open-water-swimmers-world-championships/|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.swimming.ca/en/news/2017/04/10/sydney-pickrem-sets-canadian-record-exciting-final-night-team-canada-trials-victoria-sydney-pickrem-wanted-breaking-canadian-record-200-metre-individual/ |title=Sydney Pickrem Sets Canadian Record, Team Canada Named on Exciting Final Night at Trials |date=9 April 2017 |website=www.swimming.ca/ |publisher=Swimming Canada |access-date=10 April 2017 |archive-date=16 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181016095558/http://www.swimming.ca/en/news/2017/04/10/sydney-pickrem-sets-canadian-record-exciting-final-night-team-canada-trials-victoria-sydney-pickrem-wanted-breaking-canadian-record-200-metre-individual/ |url-status=live }} He also was named to the Canada's 2017 Summer Universiade team and competed at the games that summer in TaiPei City, Taiwan.{{Cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/meet-the-canadians-leading-summer-universiade-medal-charge-1.4242230|title=Meet the Canadians leading the Summer Universiade medal charge {{!}} CBC Sports|work=CBC|access-date=2018-05-06|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-06-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620104923/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/meet-the-canadians-leading-summer-universiade-medal-charge-1.4242230|url-status=live}}

In September 2017, Thormeyer was named to Canada's 2018 Commonwealth Games team.{{cite web|url=https://swimming.ca/en/news/2017/09/26/swimming-canada-nominates-26-athletes-canadas-2018-commonwealth-games-team/|title=Swimming Canada Nominates 26 Athletes to Canada's 2018 Commonwealth Games Team|date=26 September 2017|website=www.swimming.ca/|publisher=Swimming Canada|access-date=27 September 2017|archive-date=22 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422231515/https://swimming.ca/en/news/2017/09/26/swimming-canada-nominates-26-athletes-canadas-2018-commonwealth-games-team/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/aquatics/oleksiak-masse-canada-commonwealth-games-1.4307648|title=Oleksiak, Masse headline Canadian swim team for Commonwealth Games|date=26 September 2017|website=www.cbc.ca/|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)|access-date=27 September 2017|archive-date=29 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929223147/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/aquatics/oleksiak-masse-canada-commonwealth-games-1.4307648|url-status=live}} Thormeyer won a bronze medal in the 100 metre backstroke event. Competing backstroke for the first time on the international senior stage, he qualified for the final in second place with a significant best time. In the final however, he was edged out of silver by tenths of a second, taking the bronze.{{Cite news|url=https://www.swimming.ca/en/news/2018/04/06/markus-thormeyer-reaches-new-heights-bronze-commonwealth-games/|title=Markus Thormeyer reaches new heights with bronze at Commonwealth Games|date=2018-04-06|work=Swimming Canada|access-date=2018-05-06|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-07-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728111626/https://www.swimming.ca/en/news/2018/04/06/markus-thormeyer-reaches-new-heights-bronze-commonwealth-games/|url-status=live}}

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the 2020 Summer Olympics being delayed by a year, as well as causing significant disruptions in Thormeyer's training. He was out of the pool for four months in the spring and early summer of 2020. Competing in the International Swimming League in the fall provided some relief from these conditions.{{Cite news|last=De George|first=Matthew|date=May 10, 2021|title=Olympic Spot in Hand, Markus Thormeyer Chasing More at Canadian Trials|work=Swimming World|url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/olympic-spot-in-hand-markus-thormeyer-chasing-more-at-canadian-trials/|access-date=August 15, 2021|archive-date=August 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815183009/https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/olympic-spot-in-hand-markus-thormeyer-chasing-more-at-canadian-trials/|url-status=live}} In June 2021, Thormeyer was named to Canada's Olympic team.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/aquatics/canadian-olympic-swimming-team-announced-june-24-1.6078127|title=26 athletes nominated to Canada's Olympic swimming team|date=24 June 2021|website=www.cbc.ca/|publisher=CBC Sports|access-date=24 June 2021|archive-date=25 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211225155655/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/aquatics/canadian-olympic-swimming-team-announced-june-24-1.6078127|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.swimming.ca/en/news/2021/06/24/canadas-tokyo-2020-swimming-team-announced/|title=Canada's Tokyo 2020 Swimming Team Announced|date=24 June 2021|website=www.swimming.ca/|publisher=Swimming Canada|access-date=24 June 2021|archive-date=24 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624141120/https://www.swimming.ca/en/news/2021/06/24/canadas-tokyo-2020-swimming-team-announced/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://olympic.ca/2021/06/24/team-canada-to-have-26-swimmers-at-tokyo-2020/|title=Team Canada to have 26 swimmers at Tokyo 2020|last=Nichols|first=Paula|date=24 June 2021|website=www.olympic.ca/|publisher=Canadian Olympic Committee|accessdate=24 June 2021|archive-date=22 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222174839/https://olympic.ca/2021/06/24/team-canada-to-have-26-swimmers-at-tokyo-2020/|url-status=live}}

He placed nineteenth in the heats of the 100 m backstroke and did not advance, but made it to the semi-finals of the 200 m backstroke, placing sixteenth in both the heats and the semi-finals.{{Cite news |title=Kylie Masse loses Olympic backstroke record minutes after winning heat |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/aquatics/swimming/canada-tokyo-olympics-swimming-heats-july25-1.6116449 |date=July 25, 2021 |access-date=2021-08-15 |work=CBC Sports |last=Harrison |first=Doug |archive-date=2021-08-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815173459/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/aquatics/swimming/canada-tokyo-olympics-swimming-heats-july25-1.6116449 |url-status=live }} Notably, Thormeyer was part of Canada's team in the Swimming at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay, who unexpectedly finished in fourth place despite not having been favoured to make the event final.{{Cite news|last=De George|first=Matthew|date=August 5, 2021|title=With Brent Hayden Leading, Youthful Canadian Men's Program Shows Promise in Tokyo|work=Swimming World|url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/with-brent-hayden-leading-youthful-canadian-mens-program-shows-promise-in-tokyo/|access-date=August 13, 2021|archive-date=August 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813191410/https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/with-brent-hayden-leading-youthful-canadian-mens-program-shows-promise-in-tokyo/|url-status=live}}

Personal bests

class="wikitable"

style="background:#eee;"

! colspan="5" | Long course

style="background:#eee;"

! Event

! Time

! Meet

! Date

! Note(s)

100 m freestyle

style="text-align:center;" | 48.71

| 2019 U Sports Odlum Brown Swimming Championships

| 23 February 2019

200 m freestyle

style="text-align:center;" | 1:47.66

| 2018 Canadian Swimming Trials, Kinsmen Sports Centre, Edmonton

| 18 July 2018

100 m backstroke

style="text-align:center;" | 53.35

| 2019 Canadian Swimming Trials

| 3 April 2019

200 m backstroke

style="text-align:center;" | 1:56.96

| 2019 World Aquatics Championships

| 25 July 2019

Personal life

Thormeyer came out as gay in late 2019.{{cite news |title=Olympic swimmer performed at his peak after coming out as gay |url=https://www.outsports.com/comingout/2020/2/19/21137192/markus-thormeyer-canada-olympics-swimming-gay-coming-out |accessdate=20 February 2020 |work=Outsports |date=19 February 2020 |archive-date=30 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630235303/https://www.outsports.com/comingout/2020/2/19/21137192/markus-thormeyer-canada-olympics-swimming-gay-coming-out |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2020-02-20 |title=Olympic swimmer Markus Thormeyer comes out as gay in emotional essay |url=https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/life/olympic-swimmer-markus-thormeyer-comes-out-as-gay-in-emotional-essay/ |access-date=2023-09-11 |website=GAY TIMES |language=en-GB |archive-date=2023-11-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113143436/https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/life/olympic-swimmer-markus-thormeyer-comes-out-as-gay-in-emotional-essay/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Olympic Swimmer Markus Thormeyer Comes Out as Gay |url=https://www.out.com/sports/2020/2/20/olympic-swimmer-markus-thormeyer-comes-out-gay |access-date=2023-09-11 |website=www.out.com |language=en |archive-date=2023-10-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003125236/https://www.out.com/sports/2020/2/20/olympic-swimmer-markus-thormeyer-comes-out-gay |url-status=live }}

References

External links

{{World Aquatics}}
{{International Swimming League|thormeyer-markus|archive=20210507123023}}
{{Swimrankings}}
{{Swimming Canada|markus-thormeyer}}
{{Team Canada}}
{{Olympedia}}
{{2015 Pan American Games profile|swimming/athlete-profile-n10182695-thormeyer-markus}}
{{2018 Commonwealth Games profile|swimming/athlete-profile-n6022742-markus-thormeyer}}

Category:1997 births

Category:Living people

Category:Sportspeople from Newmarket, Ontario

Category:Canadian male backstroke swimmers

Category:Medalists at the FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m)

Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for Canada

Category:Olympic swimmers for Canada

Category:Swimmers at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Category:Pan American Games silver medalists in swimming

Category:World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming

Category:Swimmers at the 2018 Commonwealth Games

Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Canada