Pamela Rai facts for kids
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nickname(s) | "Pam" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | March 29, 1966 New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada |
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| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 57 kg (126 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strokes | Freestyle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Hyack Swim Club | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team | University of Victoria | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Pamela Leila Rai (born March 29, 1966) is a famous Canadian swimmer. She competed for Canada from 1980 to 1987. Pamela is known for winning an Olympic medal and many other awards. She was the first woman of Indian background to win an Olympic medal. She was also the first Indo-Canadian to achieve this.
Olympic Success
Pamela Rai competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. There, she won a bronze medal. This was for the 4 × 100-metre medley relay race. Her teammates were Anne Ottenbrite, Reema Abdo, and Michelle MacPherson. This was a huge achievement for her and for Canada.
Other Achievements
Pamela had a very successful swimming career. She won many medals at international events.
- In 1983, she won a silver medal at the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas. This was for the 4×100 m freestyle relay.
- In 1986, she won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. This was also for the 4×100 m freestyle relay.
She was also named Athlete of the Year for the City of Victoria in 1985. In 1986, she was the University of Victoria Athlete of the Year.
Swimming for University
From 1984 to 1987, Pamela swam for the University of Victoria. She was a top swimmer in Canadian university women's swimming during this time.
Family and Legacy
Pamela's father, Harinder Jit Singh Rai, was also a talented athlete. In 1964, he was the first Indo-Canadian to qualify for the Olympic Games in field hockey. Sadly, he was removed from the team just before the games. This was due to unfair reasons. Pamela dedicated her 1984 Olympic medal to her father. He passed away from a serious illness three months before she competed.
Pamela Rai has been honored for her amazing career. She is in the BC Sports Hall of Fame. She is also in the Swim BC Hall of Fame. The University of Victoria Legacy Hall of Fame and the Delta Sports Hall of Fame have also inducted her.
After her swimming career, Pamela became a high school teacher. She taught math and social justice. She is also a certified yoga instructor.
