University of Victoria Athletics

CATEGORY: Athlete

Jon Kelly was one of the most successful swimmers to ever compete for the University of Victoria swim team.

His incredibly powerful stroke earned him seven gold and nine silver medals at the CIAU swim championships during the mid-1980s. Jon’s best year came in 1986, when he captured three gold medals (200m fly,200m individual medley, and 400m IM) and one silver (4x200m freestyle relay) at the CIAU swim championships. For this superb individual performance, he was named the 1986 Canadian University Swimmer of the Year and he was honoured with the UVic Male Athlete of the Year award (which he won again the following year).

Jon also had success in international competition, winning silver in the 4x100m freestyle relay at the 1983 Pan American Games. He won a bronze medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay in the 1985 World University Championships. He was a silver medallist in the 4x200m freestyle relay in the Pan Pacific Championships in 1985. He won a silver (4x200m freestyle relay) and two bronze medals (200m fly, 400m IM) in the 1990 Commonwealth Games. At the 1988 Olympics he finished seventh in the 200m fly and 11th in the 400m IM.

Jon has held more than 20 BC Senior Provincial Records in the 200m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 200m IM and 400m IM. He still holds the UVic swim team record in the 200m IM and he had the 200m fly record until this past season.


UVic Achievements 
- Seven gold CIAU medals during the mid 1980s
- Highlights: 1986 three gold medals in 200m fly, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley; one silver medal in 4x200m freestyle relay 
- Nine silver CIAU medals during the mid 1980s 
- 1986 Canadian University Swimmer of the Year 
- 1986 UVic Male Athlete of the Year 
- 1987 UVic Male Athlete of the Year 
- Hold the UVic swim team record in the 200m IM


International Achievements 
- 1983 Pan American Games: 4x200m Freestyle relay (SILVER) 
- 1985 World University Championships: 4x100m Freestyle relay (BRONZE)
- 1985 Pan Pacific Championships: 4x200m Freestyle relay (SILVER)
- 1990 Commonwealth Games: 4x200m Freestyle relay (SILVER)
- 1990 Commonwealth Games: 200m fly, 400m IM (BRONZE)
- 1988 Seoul Summer Olympic Games: 200x fly (7th), 400m IM (11th)