Riley Janes

Riley Janes, born on June 30, 1980, is a distinguished former Canadian swimmer known for his prowess in freestyle and backstroke events. Hailing from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, he began his swimming journey at the tender age of six, competing for the Saskatoon Goldfins under the guidance of his personal coach. Over the years, Janes established himself as a formidable competitor, holding fourteen club and eight age-group state records in the 100-metre backstroke.

At the age of fifteen, Janes joined the Canadian national team, marking the beginning of a remarkable career. He later attended Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, on an athletic scholarship, where he swam for the Texas A&M Aggies swimming team under head coach Mel Nash. During his time with the Aggies, he earned eleven All-American honors and set a short-course Canadian record of twenty-three point ninety at the 2000 NCAA Swimming Championships. Janes graduated in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in marketing.

Janes made headlines in 2002 at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Yokohama, Japan, and the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England, where he contributed to Canada's bronze medal victories in the 4×100 m medley relay. He swam alongside notable teammates Mike Brown, Mike Mintenko, and Brent Hayden, achieving impressive times of three minutes thirty-eight point seventeen seconds and three minutes thirty-eight point ninety-one seconds, respectively.

His Olympic journey culminated at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, where he competed as a relay swimmer. Janes participated in two events, including the 4×100 m freestyle relay, where he and his team finished ninth with a time of three minutes eighteen point thirty-five seconds. In the 4×100 m medley relay, he reunited with his teammates from the Pan Pacific Championships, leading off the backstroke leg with a split of fifty-six point seventeen seconds. Despite their efforts, the team narrowly missed the top eight final, finishing fourth overall with a time of three minutes thirty-nine point thirty-six seconds.