Joanne Malar attended three summer Olympic Games as a member of Canada's swim team, in Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney, Australia 2000. Malar swam the 200-and 400-metre Individual Medleys.
"I had a lot of highs and lows at the Olympics, but overall it was really a dream come true representing Canada for so long," said Malar.
Here's a quick look at her Olympic career:
Barcelona (1992), Age: 16, Result: 11th place (400 m Individual Medley), Her take: "It was sort of my childhood dream come true. I finished 11th and that was very positive and I got to watch Mark Tewskbury win the gold for Canada [in the men's 100-metre backstroke]."
Atlanta (1996), Age: 20, Results: Fourth (200 m IM); DNQ for final (400 metre IM), Her take: "I was sort of a medal hopeful going in so there was a lot of pressure and I finished fourth. It was a bit of a disappointment, but at the same time I'm very proud of all my efforts. It turned out a year and a half later, the girl that won [Michelle Smith of Ireland] was cheating, so I really would've been an Olympic medalist."
Sydney (2000), Age 24, Result: Fifth place (200m IM); Seventh place (400m IM)
In her final Olympics Malar finished fifth as Swim Canada started wondering how to revamp its program after Australia won a record number of medals in the pool.
