Next Wave Up and Coming Swimmers Series

We are proud to spotlight a group of up and coming para swimmers and 14 & Under swimmers who are making their mark within the TAG (Top Age Group) Rankings across Canada. Recognized through the leadership and support of the Canadian Swim Coaches Association (CSCA), these athletes represent the next wave of Canadian swimming excellence.

As we launch this series, we celebrate the coaches, clubs, and families who support these swimmers — and we look forward to following their journey as they continue to rise within Canada’s performance pathway.

There’s a joke around the family, especially shared at places like their cottage, that doesn’t go over very well with marquee swimmer Jack Gray.

As the story goes, Gray is apprehensive, more like spooked, knowing he is swimming with fish in the lake. Apparently, the fallout from the humorous remarks tend to make him swim faster.

So why not, when in a competitive pool situation, tease him about tossing fish in the water?

Those who know of Gray, and his success in water as one of the elite swimmers in his age class in Ontario and likely Canada, understand he doesn’t need pranks and various forms of jocularity to motivate him to swim

There’s another interesting anecdote in the files of the Gray household that recounts his initiation to swimming - a sport that he has been dominating in recent meets and may very well be on the path to stardom in the years to come.

It’s called “Baby and Me Bootcamp”.

The chapter goes back to when, at six months of age, he was introduced to a water fitness program held at the W.G. Johnson Centre in Cambridge. It was an opportunity where parents benefit from a physical workout while babies float in specialized boats, often combining strengthening exercises with songs and games for the children.

Alright, enough of the chronicles and tales. After all, we do want to keep Gray, who turns 15 years old this summer, positively triggered in the sport.

Gray has come a long way since those early days. In addition to having completed his bronze cross swim certification and assistant instructor course, he is working towards getting his lifeguard accreditation this year.

He’s also the same dude whose notoriety in swimming is a topic of discussion at swim meets.

Take, for instance, his showing at the 2026 Ontario Age Group event held at the Pan Am pool in Markham. In six events, Gray finished with five medals - three gold, a silver and a bronze

Those caught up with analytics might want to examine some data relating to Gray and his efforts in the water.

The gold medal finishes came in the 200-metres backstroke clocked in 2:11.12, the 200-metres individual medley timed in 2:12.10 and the 400-metres individual medley at 4:46.07. The second-place finish was in the 200-metres breaststroke at 2:28.60 and he earned a bronze in the 100-metres breaststroke recording a time of 1:08.82.

This was no serendipity event, but a spotlight on Canada’s future and prominent star swimmers who will be attention grabbers in showcase national and international events.

“When we talk about swimming, as an athlete I see dedication (to the sport) as being more important than motivation,” said Gray in a conversation about commitment, hard work and what it takes to excel.

Those who know Gray, like club coach Connor Watson, single him out as an individual dedicated to his sport with a huge amount of discipline. As for associating with others, he’s fantastic with kids and devotes a fair amount of time volunteering.

“I enjoy swimming and I come out of the water, regardless of training or in swim meets, feeling great,” said Gray, who devotes close to 15 hours a week at practice and in dryland conditioning.

With a slew of major swim meets on the schedule, Gray has been busy participating in the Swim Ontario Podium Development Camp at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (TPASC). He was also named to Swimming Canada’s National Development Program that shines the spotlight on an athlete with potential for high performance.

As a student at École secondaire catholique Père-René-de-Galinée, where both his parents are educators, his academic grades are bright spots. In fact, Gray is already mapping out a potential career – the world of sports medicine and focusing on becoming a physician or physiotherapist.

Gray, who is tall, slim and measures in at 5-foot-11, is a member of the Aquajets. That’s a competitive swim club in Cambridge, about a 90-minute drive west of Toronto. While the city is notable as being the home of composers, poets, fashion designers and an array of athletes, Gray is now the newest celebrity in town.

“My dad was the one who recommended that I think seriously about swimming as a youngster,” recalled Gray. “At a club trial, it was a coach who told me that he thought I would excel in the sport.”

At age 10, Gray won his first medal – gold – and it came in the 100-metres breaststroke at an event hosted by the Etobicoke Olympium. That medal is prominently featured in his room at home.

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.

Pictures by Olena Kharlova