Allison Higson | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Allison Higson

Allison Higson, swimmer (b at Mississauga, Ont 13 Mar 1973). Higson established 11 age group records at a single meet in December 1985.

Higson, Allison

Allison Higson, swimmer (b at Mississauga, Ont 13 Mar 1973). Higson established 11 age group records at a single meet in December 1985. In 1986, at the age of 13, she won 2 golds and a silver relay medal at the Commonwealth Games and then became the youngest medalist ever at the world championships by winning a bronze medal in the 200 m breaststroke. In 1987 Higson won a gold medal in the 100 m breastroke, silver medals in the 200 m individual medley and 4 x 100 m medley relay, and a bronze in the 4 x 200 m free relay at the Pan-Pacific Championships in Brisbane, Australia. Her performance in the 100 m breaststroke earned her a 4th place ranking in the world and Swimming Canada Junior and Senior Female Athlete award in 1987.

At the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, at the age of 15, Higson was the youngest member of the women's swim team when they captured the bronze medal in the 4 x 100 m medley relay (with the fastest 100 m breaststroke ever recorded by a Canadian - 1:08.15) and swimming a personal best in the individual 100 m breastroke with a time of 1:08.86 to place 4th. At the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand, she captured a silver medal in the 4 x 100 m free relay and 4th place in the 100 m free relay. The 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona was Higson's last competition as a member of the Canadian Swim Team. She accepted a scholarship to Stanford University in California where she earned all-American honours as well as 4 NCAA championships.