Pamela Rai
New Westminster 49° 12' 24.38" N, 122° 54' 39.17" W sportsperson Person
Pamela Leila Rai (born March 29, 1966 in New Westminster, British Columbia) is a former freestyle, butterfly swimmer from Canada, who competed for her native country at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. There the resident of Delta, British Columbia won a bronze medal in the 4x100m Medley Relay, alongside Anne Ottenbrite, Reema Abdo, and Michelle MacPherson. Rai represented Canada as a youth from 1976–1979 and was a member of Canada's National Swim Team from 1980-1987. Rai competed in many international events over the span of her career. Other notable awards include University of Victoria Athlete of the Year, City of Victoria Athlete of the Year, Hapoel Games silver, Pan American Games silver, Commonwealth Games gold medals. Rai swam for the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. She graduated with a degree in Sociology and went on to attain an Education degree from the University of British Columbia. Rai is high school special education teacher and a certified yoga instructor trained in Netala, India in the Sivananda Yoga lineage. Rai owns and operates Silent Motion Yoga Vedanta Centre on Vancouver Island, Nanaimo, British Columbia. Rai is a member of the BC Sports Hall of Fame, the Swim BC Hall of Fame and the University of Victoria Sports Hall of Fame. Rai is the first woman of Indian ancestry to win an Olympic medal.