Gerald Clawson’s big breakthrough in swimming came in 1936 when he was selected as a member of the Canadian delegation to that year’s summer Olympics in Berlin. He swam in the 200m breaststroke event, but came last in his heat in the semi-finals and was eliminated from further competition. The following year he joined the University of Toronto’s varsity swim team and remained there until 1941, winning three intercollegiate championships along the way. Among his many notable accomplishments as a member of the squad were his 200 yard breaststroke record, his Neil Buckley Memorial Trophy as champion in the annual McGill-University of Toronto 100-yd freestyle competition, his T.H. Bickle Award as varsity swimming MVP, and his four Durnan Trophies, awarded to him as outstanding university swimmer for every year that he was on the team. After leaving university he served with the Canadian Forces in World War II as a lieutenant and was award a military cross. He later moved to the United States and became a naturalized citizen, working as a salesman with DuPont Pharmaceuticals until his retirement in 1986.
Canada