Kelly Kryczka
Synchronized Swimming Athlete — Inducted 1980
Born July 8, 1961, in Calgary, Alberta, Kelly Kryczka was one of Canada’s most successful synchronized swimmers of the late 1970s and early 1980s, achieving national and international success in solo, duet, and team competition.
She began synchronized swimming at Calgary’s Glencoe Club before advancing to train with the Calgary Aquabelles, one of Canada’s premier synchronized swimming programs. In 1977, Kryczka was a member of the team that won the Junior Canadian National Championship and also captured gold medals in both solo and duet events.
Competing at the senior level, she earned international recognition in 1979 as a member of silver medal–winning teams at both the Canadian National Championships and the Pan American Games. Partnering with Helen Vanderburg, she won gold in duet competition at the Canadian National Championships, earned a silver medal at the Pan American Games, and captured gold at the Fédération Internationale de Natation Amateur (FINA) Cup World Championship in 1979.
Kryczka continued her dominance at the national level in 1980, winning both the solo and duet titles at the Canadian Championships.
After Induction
Following her induction, Kryczka continued to compete at the highest international level. Her career reached its peak in 1982 when she won two World Championship titles. She concluded her competitive career at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, earning a silver medal as a member of Canada’s synchronized swimming team.
Throughout her career, she achieved significant international success, winning medals at World Championships, Pan American Games, and Pan Pacific Championships. In recognition of her outstanding achievements and contributions to Canadian sport, Kryczka was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1996.
Awards and Honours
- 1984 — Olympic Silver Medalist, Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games (Team Event)
- Two World Aquatic Championship Gold Medals and One Silver Medal
- Two Pan American Games Gold Medallist and One Silver Medal
- Four Pan Pacific Championships Gold Medals and Two Silver Medals
- 1979 — FINA Cup World Championship Gold Medalist (Duet)
- Multiple Canadian National Championships — Solo and Duet
- 1996 — Inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame
