Hall of Fame
Jim Adams is a genuine product of the University of Toronto swimming program. When he arrived from Brazil in 1969, with hardly any background in competitive swimming, he first tried out for the water polo team. It was during one of the team’s practices that Jim was spotted by swimming coach Robin Campbell, who persuaded him to dedicate himself to swimming.
Jim’s subsequent success in the pool with the Blues swimming team spanned the next five years. By graduation, he had won a total of 14 CIAU medals. His career as a Varsity Blue peaked in the 1972-73 and 1973-74 seasons. In 1973 he took CIAU gold in the 50yd and 100yd freestyle, silver in the 200yd freestyle, and he was also a member of the winning 400yd and 800yd freestyle relay teams. The next year he went one better, winning the 50yd, 100yd and 200yd freestyle, and taking part in the gold-medal 400yd and 800yd freestyle relay teams. The CIAU recognized his power in the pool in 1973, when it awarded him the Outstanding Swimmer of the Year award.
Fueled by his success on the university circuit, Jim went on to represent Brazil at the 1973 World Student Games in Moscow, where he won bronze medals in the 4x100m and the 4x200m freestyle relays. The same year he also earned a fifth place finish at the first World Swimming Championships in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. In 1974 Jim broke the Canadian open records in the 50m freestyle and 200m individual medley.
