Bonnie Pronk (CAN)

Honor Masters Swimmer (2010)

The information on this page was written the year of their induction.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: World Points – 949, Pre-1986 Points-0, Total Points – 949. Since 1972, she has competed in 6 age groups (35-39 thru 65-69). 34 FINA MASTERS WORLD RECORDS

As a teen in the 1950’s, Bonnie Pronk traveled to Europe, attended the 1959 Pan Am Games and set national records. She trained with Rosemary Dawson at Camp Ak-O-Mak, of the Matt Mann Camps where she received guidance from one of the world’s greatest coaches, Forbes Carlile of Australia.

Twenty years later she was back in the pool as a Masters swimmer. Bonnie set a few FINA Masters world records in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, but she then took a break and did not compete again for over ten years.

Bonnie returned to the pool again in the mid 1990’s and has been in the world’s top 10 consistently since 1995. She has set 11 long course FINA Masters World Records and 23 short course records for a total of 34 FINA Masters World Records in the breaststroke, the backstroke and the Individual Medley.

Among her many accolades, Bonnie was chosen as British Columbia’s Athlete of the year in 2003, and in 2009 was named the all-time top Canadian Masters Swimmer.

In addition to being a world class swimmer, Bonnie has also served as a coach, author and physical education professor. She has even gotten a taste of what it is like to train and be tested at the USA Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Her current world rankings since 1995 for short and long course combined are 59 number ones; 74 number twos; and 50 number threes. She has competed in all four FINA Masters World Championships since 2002 winning eight gold and nine silver medals in the backstroke, breaststroke and I.M. events.

Bonnie continues competing and travels the world for aquatic events with her coach and husband, Gary, as well as her teammates from Campbell River Masters.