Donna Gurr

Donna-Marie Gurr, CM (born February 18, 1955) is a former swimmer from Canada, who won the bronze medal in the 200m backstroke at the 1972 Summer Olympics.

During the summer of 1969, aged 14, the Canadian Dolphins went on their first trip to Europe, where they attended the ASA British Championships in Blackpool.

X-rays showed a problem, Osteochondritis dissecans of the left femoral condyle, in which a part of the bone, was becoming detached from the femur.

It was determined by her orthopedic surgeon Dr. Hector Gillespie, and her GP, sports medicine expert Dr. Doug Clement that surgery was needed to pin the loosened piece of bone in place.

Due to her young age, it was hoped that with crutches and a specialized cast, from hip to ankle, the knee would heal on its own.

By the time of the 1972 Olympic Trials and Games, Gurr was having trouble with a spinal problem, aggravated by all the training, and tendonitis in both shoulders.

At 18, in 1973, Gurr competed in the first World Aquatic Championships in Belgrade, and at 19, in 1974, she went to her second Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand and won a silver and bronze medal.

During her career Gurr traveled extensively, all over Canada and the United States, competing at the Santa Clara International Meet every summer.

She traveled to England numerous times, attending the Coca-Cola International Meet in London in the spring, for several years, and on other occasions as well.

She also visited New Zealand twice, Australia once, where she met Dawn Fraser, a swimming icon, at the New South Wales Championships in January 1972.

Gurr was chosen as one of the recipients of the Queen Elizabeth ll Diamond Jubilee Medal, which will be awarded at a special presentation ceremony in April 2012.

On April 5, 2013 at the World Championship Trials in Victoria, British Columbia, Gurr was inducted into Swimming Canada's "Circle of Excellence".

The presentation was made before the start of the finals and she was accompanied by her coach Deryk Snelling and teammate Leslie Cliff, who are also Circle of Excellence members.