2025 Canada Games Profile

With the Canada Games underway, Swim Ontario is highlighting some of the officials who made the trip to Newfoundland!

It was 11 years ago, and Libby Leung-Kalman will never forget it.

She had made her debut as a volunteer swim official on the pool deck at the University of Toronto campus in Mississauga. Her task was to be the timer for one of the outside lanes of a local meet.

Enthusiastic, over-joyed and excited to be helping, she made a costly boo-boo. Reflecting on that powerful snapshot remains tucked away in her brain.

“I had to make sure that swimmers checked in - and I messed up,” said Leung-Kalman in a telephone conversation recalling that day and the emphatic success she has enjoyed since then. “I let three swimmers go out of place and the meet referee tore a strip off of me.”

Turning mistakes into life lessons is important. They are often viewed as progress rather than failure. In her case, setbacks have led to success stories and that includes being confirmed as one of four major technical officials for the aquatic sport at the 16th Canada Games.

Joining Leung-Kalman in the seven-member supervisory delegation from Ontario are officials Ahmed Abdelfattah, Tina Cerqua and Siobhán Muldowney. Trevor Cowan will be the technical lead, para technical advisor Sandra Rousseau and open water chief referee Steve Sachs round out the rest of the crew.

“It’s my first Canada Games and I’ll be doing a bit of everything – but I do like the responsibilities of being a referee and starter,” said Leung-Kalman, who was born in Lindsay, lived in Fenelon Falls and now calls Mississauga her home.

“This will be a great experience for me and, as far as officiating, I’m not one thinking beyond the events in this country. I have a standard and that’s to know, and focus, on doing the job well before asking for the next level of evaluation.”

Leung-Kalman had formally applied to officiate at Canada’s showcase of elite amateur athletes in the massive event set for August 8 to 25 in St. John’s, Nfld. She found out her selection via an e-mail, from Swimming Canada, that showed up in her computer junk mail.

“When there was no announcement, I had assumed there were more qualified officials than me. However, when I received a message from (Cowan) – the Swim Coordinator for the Canada Games – it was to look in the junk mail. I was very surprised and proud to have been selected.”

While the event will attract some 10,000 people, consisting of athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers from across the country, Ontario has chosen 34 swimmers to compete. In the Olympic stream, there are 24 athletes. Paralympic athletes total six while Special Olympics has four swimmers.

Worth noting is that Leung-Kalman is more than a swim official with the highest certification (Level 5). She has a degree in computer sciences from the University of Waterloo, a diploma in nursing from Conestoga College and is the clinical research coordinator at Toronto’s Women’s College Hospital.

“There are times when I am asked how and when do I get the time to do so much,” said Leung-Kalman, whose husband is a Level 3 swim official. “Whenever kids are involved, we’re involved. It’s in our DNA.”

The often-heard reference to DNA is the shortform version of deoxyribonucleic – and described as the genetic information inside the cells of the human body that helps make people who they are.

“I have put a great deal of work into becoming an official but can’t leave out the superb tutelage received from so many people,” she said. “While I can swim, it’s never been as a competitive swimmer but have been involved with the Mississauga Swim Club.”

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.