National Teams

Para-Swimming Team

Tammy Cunnington

  • Age 48
  • Height 152.4 cm / 5 ftin
  • Club Red Deer Catalina Swim Club
  • Coach Mandi Smith
  • Previous Coaches Alexx Diep
  • Hometown Red Deer, AB
  • Residence Red Deer, AB
  • Event 50 FR, 100 FR, 200 FR, 50 BR, 50 BK, 50 FL

National Team Highlights

EventFinalist
Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
Cairns 2018 Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships113
Rio 2016 Paralympic Games
Toronto 2015 Parapan Am Games126

Tammy’s Bio

  • At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Cunnington finished 13th in the women’s 50-m breaststroke SB3, the 50-m backstroke S4 and the 150-m individual medley SM4.
  • At the 2018 Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships, Cunnington won gold in the 50-m backstroke S4 and bronze in the 150-m individual medley SM4 in a personal best time.
  • At the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, Cunnington competed in four events. Cunnington’s best result was an 11th place finish in the 50-m butterfly (swimming up a class to S5), 50-m freestyle, and 150-m individual medley. She also finished 13th in the 50-m breaststroke.
  • Tammy Cunnington won the women’s Para multi-class 50-m backstroke and the 150-m individual medley at the 2018 Canadian Swimming Trials in Edmonton.
  • Cunnington broke the Canadian record in the 50-m freestyle at the 2017 Para-swimming Canadian Open.
  • At the 2017 Can Am Para-swimming Championships, Cunnington finished with two silver medals in the 50-m backstroke and butterfly, and two bronze medals in the 50-m and 100-m freestyle.
  • Broke the world record in the S4 50-m butterfly twice at the 2016 Olympic & Para-swimming Trials, and qualified for her first Paralympic Games by posting a Canadian record that ranked her 10th in the world in the 50-m freestyle.
  • Her dominant Trials also included a national mark in the 50-m breaststroke, and wins in the multi-class 50-m backstroke and 150-m individual medley.
  • Cunnington won three medals at the 2015 Parapan Am Games. She took silver in the 200-m freestyle and bronze in the 100-m freestyle, and was also a member of the bronze-medal winning 4×50-m 20-point relay.
  • She set an Americas record in the 50-m butterfly.
  • Cunnington swam four events in her first major international competition at the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. Her best finish was 7th in the 50-m freestyle.
  • She showed her versatility by swimming seven events at the 2015 Speedo Can Am Swimming Championships.
  • Cunnington was six years old when she was struck by an airplane at a Ponoka, Alta., air show in April 1982.
  • The accident left her a paraplegic with the full use of her right arm, plus her core and shoulders.
  • A figure skater before the accident, Cunnington has played wheelchair basketball at a national level and competed in triathlon.
  • She also enjoys hand cycling, paddle boarding and downhill sit-skiing.
  • Outside of the pool, Tammy and her husband own and operate a construction company.
Quick Facts
  • Twitter: @tj_cunnington
  • Favourite movie: Notting Hill
  • Favourite book: The Great Gatsby
  • Favourite Magazine: Ricardo
  • Favourite TV Show: Scandal
  • Favourite Actor: Gerard Butler
  • Favourite Group: Bruno Mars
  • Favourite athlete: Wayne Gretzky
  • Favourite place to Visit: Tahiti
  • Pre-race Meal: Eggs and OJ
  • Superhero: Wonder Woman
  • Guilty Pleasure: Red wine and brie
  • Superstitions: Always put on left shoe first
  • Something most people don’t know about you: I really love the colour pink.
  • Quote: “Either you suffer the pain of discipline or suffer the pain of regret.”

Tammy’s Personal Bests

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