Angela Coughlan was inducted into the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. She was born in London, Ontario, in October 1952 and arrived in Burlington in 1959. At the age of two, she fell into a public pool and the lifeguards did not see her. Her father came to her rescue. At age nine, Angela won all the swimming events at a summer camp and the counsellors suggested that she consider competitive swimming. At 11, Angela joined the Hamilton Aquatic Club. In the early 1960s, there were no adequate training facilities in Burlington, so she would travel to Hamilton to complete her workout and then return to Burlington for school. She attended Elizabeth Gardens Public School and M. M. Robinson High School. At 14, she qualified for the Canadian national swim team.
To this day, Angela holds the world record in the freestyle 1650-yard (mile) event. Because it was held in a 25-yard pool, the record was deleted in 1969 by the International Aquatic Federation. She was the Canadian freestyle champion in all distances from 1968 to 1971: 100, 200, 400, and 800 metres. In 1967 at the Pan American Games, she won three bronze medals as well as a silver medal as a member of the 4 x 100 m relay team. In the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico, Angela earned a bronze medal as part of the Canadian 4 x 100 m freestyle team.
In the 1970 Commonwealth Games, she won gold in the 100 m freestyle and silver in the 200 m freestyle. She also won silver in two relays. As a result, she was named the 1970 Canadian Female Athlete of the year and Canadian Female Swimmer of the Year. In 1971, at the Pan Am Games, she won two silver medals and a bronze. She also won gold in the 4 x 100 m medley relay. From 1968 to 1971, she broke a world record and 13 Canadian records.
In 1971, the City of Burlington dedicated the Angela Coughlan Swimming Pool at 2425 Upper Middle Road, adjacent to M. M. Robinson High School. This 25-metre heated indoor pool had six lanes, 1 m and 3 m diving boards, a hydraulic lift into the pool, a warming pool, and a teaching pool. The pool photos in this article were provided by the City of Burlington. Photos of the pool today are included in this article.
In 1972, Angela Coughlan retired from competitive swimming. Her post-competitive career included time as a swim coach and mentor to younger swimmers, as well as becoming a massage therapist.
In 1976, she was elected to the Canadian Swimming Hall of Fame, now called the Aquatic Hall of Fame and Museum of Canada.
In 1978, she was elected to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, located in Calgary, Alberta, at Canada Olympic Park. In 1992, she was one of four people inducted into the Ontario Aquatic Hall of Fame, to recognize and honour those persons who made outstanding contributions to aquatic sport in Canada. The Ontario Aquatic Hall of Fame has a display at the Etobicoke Olympium.
In 1995, Angela was invested with the Order of Ontario, the province’s highest honour. Appointments are made to Ontarians who have shown outstanding qualities of individual excellence and achievement in any field.
Angela Denise Coughlan passed away in Arnprior in June 2009, after several years of suffering from multiple myeloma, a form of bone cancer. She was survived by three daughters: Jessica, Leigh, and Katie.
When community facilities reopen, we encourage you to visit the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame at the Burlington Visitor Centre, 414 Locust Street.
With thanks to the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame committee, a standing committee of Burlington Sport Alliance. Learn more at http://www.burlingtonsportshalloffame.ca/
When community facilities reopen, we hope you will enjoy a swim at Angela Coughlan Pool, knowing more about the successful Burlingtonian the pool is named after.
Sources:
Swim Canada. Angela Coughlan: Angela’s Personal Bests. Url: https://www.swimming.ca/en/swimmer/4846331/ (accessed May 4, 2021).
Swim Ontario. Url: https://www.swimontario.com/ (accessed May 4, 2021).
Thierry, N. 2009, June 19. Angela Coughlan Passes Away. Worldwide SwimNews Online. Url: https://www.swimnews.com (accessed May 4, 2021).
