"Getting involved in swimming, but in a different way."

It was just around the time when Tobias Oriwol was born, back in May of 1985, that a Scottish rock group by the name of Simple Minds, had a song called “Don’t You Forget About Me”.

Four words stand out in the lyrics of this legendary masterpiece of music – “will you recognize me”. When it relates to Oriwol, the song and lyrics connect with this bright young, well-educated and talented individual.

Music may not be his forte, but others may remember his boldness and perseverance to strive for success. Like most youngsters around the age of six, Oriwol was introduced to the world of swimming by his parents.

Then came the lessons that would enhance his infatuation for the sport. Little did Oriwol know, at the time. that a bright future was starting for the youngster, who was born and grew up on the west Island of Montreal.

A tall, skinny kid, Oriwol would focus on excelling. At age seven, he would earn his first swim award - a ribbon – that was won at a West Island summer league meet. That spark may very well have been the start of a burning desire to reach for the top in so many ways.

“That (ribbon) gave me the bug to strive for success,” recalled Oriwol, who now lives in Toronto with his wife and their four and six-year-old children. “I remember my parents, both avid swimmers, had taken me to our apartment complex pool in Dorval. As a kid, I loved it. They must have seen something in me that would lead to lessons at the Pointe Claire Swim Club.”

Looking back, that moment in life may very well have been the start of a swim career that would see him compete for Canada internationally at the Commonwealth Games, World Cup, and the Pan Am Games. Oh yes, can’t forget the ultimate event - the Olympic Games in China and England.

Oriwol, and his family, had moved to Toronto. He would graduate from Silverthorn Collegiate and its High Performer Program. It allowed him to have a flexible academic timetable to merge with his intense training schedules with the Etobicoke Swim Club.

With his surname originating in Germany, where his father was born, the ancestral translation of the word means “emotional, strong, and entertaining”. All three fit a proficient and skilled individual who was once ranked No. 1 in Canada in the men’s 200-metre backstroke.

While his collection of swim awards, medals, trophies, and yes, that ribbon, is well over 400, it might come as a surprise that many hang from doorknobs at his parents’ home.

The road to fame and prosperity in the pool also had its share of disappointments and setbacks.

While Oriwol never did win a gold medal wearing the red and white of Canada on the international circuit, he did reach the semifinals in Beijing in 2008 and four years later in London. He also swam competitively in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and earned a degree in urban studies at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif.

“I remember that one year, I was 22 years old, of not making the cut for the Canada’s team that would go to the World championships,” he said. “I wasn’t fast enough. I was demoralized and discouraged.

“I had made the B team that went to the 2007 Pan Am Games in Rio, but I was not about to give up aiming for the top. I had to try every possibility to improve, and only would I be at ease was knowing that I had done my best.”

One year later, Oriwol was selected to Canada’s Olympic squad.

After Beijing, he made the decision to take a break from swimming in order to focus on his academics and career. He would enhance his knowledge in urban planning with a master’s degree at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass.

“I really missed swimming, got the itch to get back at it,” said Oriwol, who had joined the Toronto Swim Club. “Competing at the Olympics for Canada was an amazing feeling and experience that I will always cherish.”

In 2012, Oriwol had accomplished key qualifying times. For the second time, he was off to the Olympics.

“I had to finish what I had set out to do – to do the best I could in the pool for Canada and to also have what I needed to pursue a great career,” he said.

Oriwol has fond memories of swimming for Canada – and as a fond reminder, has a tattoo of the Olympic rings on the left side of his chest.

These days, with his competitive swim days over, the 6-foot-4 Oriwol has an important role as Vice President of Investments at Tricon Residential - a real estate company, with an estimated 22 billion dollars under management that invests in rental homes and owns about some 37,000 properties across the United States and Canada.

He was also appointed to Swim Ontario’s nine-member Board of Directors, allowing him an opportunity to contribute his experience and knowledge to the largest provincial swim organization in Canada. The other two new Board members are Ottawa’s Andrea Jurenovskis and Peter Kryger from Thorold.

“My whole life has been in board rooms, developing skills that would help along the way,” he said. “I got the itch again - to give back, get involved (in swimming) but in a different way.

“It’s not easy finding the time, but when there is something that you really want, you somehow find a way to get it done. You make it work. I applied for the position and now have a responsibility to make the time and commitment.”

Back to the lyrics of that song that reached No. 1 in Canada and the United States, “Give everything inside and out …. We’ll win in the end.”

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.