Blake Tierney dives backwards into the pool at the start of a backstroke race.Swimming Canada/Scott Grant
Swimming Canada/Scott Grant

Blake Tierney

Biography

Blake Tierney qualified to make his Olympic debut at Paris 2024 when he won the men’s 100m backstroke at the Olympic Swimming Trials in May 2024. 

Tierney had finished second in the 100m backstroke at the 2023 Canadian Swimming Trials, which earned him a spot on the Pan Am Games team. He went on to win five medals at Santiago 2023, which included an individual bronze in the 100m backstroke. He also contributed to medals in four relay events. 

A few months later, in February 2024, Tierney made his debut at the World Aquatics Championships. In addition to competing in the 100m backstroke, he swam the leadoff backstroke leg for the men’s 4x100m medley relay that finished fourth. 

Tierney made his World Aquatics World Cup debut in October 2022 in Toronto where he was a finalist in the 200m backstroke. Earlier that summer, he reached the podium in all four events he entered at the 2022 Canadian Championships, winning gold in the 100m backstroke and 100m freestyle, to go with a silver in the 200m backstroke and bronze in the 200m freestyle. That followed his runner-up finishes in the 100m backstroke and 200m backstroke at the 2022 Canadian Swimming Trials. A year earlier, he had also finished second in the 200m backstroke at the 2021 Olympic Swimming Trials. 

Competing collegiately for UBC, Tierney helped the Thunderbirds win the 2023 U SPORTS National Championship titles in the men’s 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays. He also won individual medals in the 50m backstroke (silver), 100m backstroke (silver), and 200m IM (bronze). 

A Little More About Blake

Outside Interests: Enjoys fishing with family and friends at his cabin in northern Saskatchewan… Studying Biomedical Engineering at the University of British Columbia…

Notable International Results

Pan American Games: 2023 – BRONZE (100m backstroke), SILVER (mixed 4x100m medley relay), BRONZE (4x100m freestyle relay), BRONZE (4x100m medley relay), BRONZE (4x200m freestyle relay) 

World Aquatics Championships: 2024 – 4th (4x100m medley relay), 9th (mixed 4x100m medley relay), 10th (4x200m freestyle relay), 18th (100m backstroke)