TEDxWaterloo - Vicki Keith - Marathon Swimming April 7, 2011

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Vicki Keith is the most successful marathon swimmer in the history of the sport, holding an unprecedented sixteen world records. Her most recognized accomplishments include becoming the first person to swim across all five Great Lakes in 1988 and for being the only person to complete the 104 km double crossing of Lake Ontario.

In 2005 Vicki spent 63 hours and 40 minutes in Lake Ontario, completing 80.2 kilometres butterfly, setting 2 world records and raising over $260,000 for the Kingston Family YMCA. This brought her lifetime fundraising total to over one million dollars.

After her marathon swimming career, Vicki began coaching competitive and marathon swimming to athletes with physical disabilities. Vicki has coached 15 athletes with a disability to the national level and two athletes to the international level in competitive swimming, 6 athletes to world records in marathon swimming, and an athlete with a disability to the podium in triathlon on the world stage.

In recognition of her outstanding achievements and service, Vicki has been appointed as a member of the Order of Canada, was inducted into the Terry Fox Hall of Fame and had the headlands of the Leslie Street Spit in Toronto renamed to Vicki Keith Point.

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TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDxWaterloo, where x=independently organized TED event. At our TEDxWaterloo event, TEDTalks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group.
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