Former UBC swim team captain and Rhodes Scholar, John McArthur, recalls his former teammate:
I just received the most recent notice on the UBC Athletics Hall of Fame inductions and want to advocate strongly that Kevin Draxinger be included in a forthcoming class. Kevin, as you probably know, was a 1992 Olympian and a finalist in the 1991 World Championships in the 200 metre backstroke, where he placed 6th. He also won medals at the Commonwealth Games in 1990 (bronze) and 1994 (silver). At the 1991 World University Games he won both a silver and bronze medal. At the Pan Pacific Championships he won a bronze in 1987 and a silver in 1991. He set the Canadian record for the 200 metre backstroke in 1990 and held it past his retirement. He was Canada’s premier 200 meter backstroker of his time. In fact, according to Swimming Canada's 2008 information, Kevin Draxinger won more 200 metre backstroke National Championships (8) than any other Canadian swimmer – beginning in 1986 through 1994.
In 1991 he won the UBC Bobby Gaul award (shared with rugby's Jim Yaganegi) recognizing his achievements as the University's outstanding and inspirational male athlete of the year.
Kevin was a contemporary (near brother) of Turlough O'Hare and it is not an exaggeration to say that the two of them together laid the backbone for the modern men's swim team's decade-long success, Turlough as the freestyler and Kevin as the backstroker. As our coach Tom Johnson is quoted as saying in Turlough’s Hall of Fame citation, “Along with Draxinger, O'Hare defined UBC swimming.”
I know that Turlough has rightfully been inducted into the Hall of Fame, but Kevin has not, which seems an injustice and historical oversight given all that Kevin did for swimming at UBC. They were both mentors of mine, along with countless others, and were stalwarts of the national swim team for several years. Indeed Kevin was a Canadian National swim team captain at the 1992 Olympics.
Kevin's record at the CIS National swimming championships is also more than stellar. In 1986/87 after setting UBC records in the backstroke, he finished second with a silver to the heralded Mark Tewksbury at the CIS Nationals. In 1987/88 he beat Tewksbury for a gold in the 200 metre backstroke. In 1988/89 he again beat Tewksbury for gold in the 200 metre backstroke.
The year 1990/91 was a highlight for Draxinger. Not only did he receive UBC's Gaul Award but was named the CIS Male Swimmer of the Year at the National Championships after winning gold in both the 100 metre and 200 metre backstoke along with four silver medals. In 1991/92 Draxinger along with O'Hare led UBC to second place at the Nationals where Kevin won three golds, two in backstroke and one in the freestyle relay (teaming with myself and Ron Page), in his final varsity year.
I'd be very grateful if the appropriate committee could please consider Kevin for a forthcoming Hall of Fame induction. I have not discussed this with anyone else, but am sure that Tom Johnson would corroborate all of the above if you were able to raise it with him.
John McArthur UBC Swimming Class of 1996
Written by John McArthur, edited by Fred Hume, UBC Athletics Historian
