2025 Canada Games Profile

Leading up to the Canada Games, Swim Ontario is highlighting some of the members of our fantastic team!

You can’t go wrong by thinking that George Kierstead is feeling as if he’s on top of the world.

The young man, from Bracebridge, remains pumped from a superb performance earlier this year when he set a Canadian swim record in the S14 classification at a winter invitational meet in Markham.

In his list of major achievements, let’s look at the 200-metres S14 butterfly with a long course time of two minutes, 27.83 seconds. The time dropped an incredible 11 seconds making it his personal best and good for a Canadian record.

S14 is a para-swimming classification for athletes with intellectual impairments – a disability that impacts performance in the sport and may pose difficulties with sequencing, memory, or have slower reaction times.

Kierstead is anything but slow in the water and has proved it time and time again. In grade 11, he made quite the splash earning gold medals for Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary School at the Ontario high school para 50 and 100-metres freestyle events.

There’s more, such as the bronze won in the 200-metres freestyle at the recent Canadian Trials in Victoria, B.C.

Talk to him about his overall swim medal count and he’s quick to share the number at 76 – and won’t forget to mention three trophies, too.

A flamboyant kind of individual with a bright personality to go with his dazzling performances in the water, Kierstead has lots to share with a friend, Nicholas Bennett.

He’s the Parkside, B.C. swimmer who broke the world record in the men’s S14 200-metre individual medley last year at the Paralympic Games trials. The two, with Bennett being about seven years older, have been buddies according to Kierstead’s mother.

Next up on the calendar for Kierstead – the Canada Games set for St. John’s, Nfld. From August 8 to 25 at the massive Aquarena Fitness Complex on the campus of Memorial University. He received the news of his selection to the 32-member Ontario team via an e-mail. As for his reaction, here it is.

“Pretty exciting and awesome to be making the (Ontario) team for the first time,” said Kierstead, who displayed a grin that brought smiles to his mother.

Kierstead, born in Timmins, was adopted at age seven by his mom, Heather. Home for them is along the Muskoka River – a place where the talented athlete likes to spend his time in the water or enjoying canoeing and kayaking. He’s also one of the top swimmers with the Muskoka Aquatic Club.

The Ontario squad, set for the 16th Canada Summer Games, has 24 swimmers in the Olympic stream, six Paralympic stream athletes, which includes Kierstead, and four in the Special Olympics stream

Ontario has done quite well at the Canada Games and swimming supremacy has been huge at the largest amateur sports event in the country. It’s considered to be a showcase of able-bodied athletes and athletes with physical and intellectual disabilities. Stellar performances at previous Canada Games often become a stepping stone to other major events.

While decisions have not been finalized on the events Kierstead will enter, one is for certain – the 200-metres freestyle. He’s also able to challenge for a trip to the winner’s podium in the 50 and 100-metres freestyle as well as the 100-metres butterfly and the 200-metres individual medley.

David Grossman is a veteran multi award-winning Journalist and Broadcaster with some of Canada’s major media, including the Toronto Star and SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN, and a Public Relations professional for 50+ years in Canadian sports and Government relations.