Name: Martha McCabe
Sport: Swimming, 200m Breaststroke
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Nickname: Mar, Marty, Smarty
Favorite Sports Memory: Being up at my cottage in Ontario, wearing the ROOTS Sydney Olympic Jersey I’d gotten for my birthday and watching Simon Whitfield win gold for Canada. SO FUN!
How you got involved in your sport: My two older sisters both swam. I started off in Synchronized Swimming, I kept getting very cold in each practice so made the switch to keep warm.
The moment you knew you wanted to represent Canada: When I went to my first nationals, which was Olympic Trials in 2004. Watching the swimmers qualify for the Olympics made me realize it was something I wanted to do too.
Favorite Quote: To Strive, To Seek, To Find, AND NOT TO YIELD
CAN Fund Testimonial: CAN Fund presents me with the opportunity to do what it takes to compete with the best athletes in the world. I CAN achieve a much higher potential with the help of CAN Fund.
Best Result: Bronze medal at the World Championships in Shanghai in July 2011.
Share one valuable tool that you use on a daily basis that helps you to be the best athlete you can be: Precision – I try to make sure every single thing I do is precise, whether it be to start the repeat exactly on time, finish with the fastest stroke, do a proper warm up, get the extra few minutes of sleep etc.
Who is one person in your life that has impacted your career and what was it that they taught you? My coach, Jozef Nagy. He has taught me endless amounts of lessons in life and in the pool, one being that about doing everything precisely to get the extra edge on competitors.
Fun Facts: I have two older sisters and one older brother. I love playing all sports. Some of my favourites to play are hockey, basketball, soccer and running (track and cross country). My favourite thing to do is head up to my cottage (just outside Peterborough,ON) with friends and family and enjoy the lake and outdoors. I love good food, good company and people who make me laugh.
