When Debbie Roach swam Lake Ontario from Fort Mississauga in 1976, she dedicated her outstanding achievement to a special lady: “I did it for Winnie.”

     That’s “Winnie” as in Winnie Roach-Leuszler, Debbie’s aunt, role model, inspiration and one of Canada’s greatest marathon swimmers. Winnie was born in Port Credit, the third oldest of 12 children who won her first long distance swimming medal at age 9 for a 1.5 mile competition in the Credit River.

The rest is history.

     The little girl from Port Credit grew up to be a great athlete who excelled in a wide range of sports, both on land and in the water: swimming, diving, softball, tennis, track and field, hockey, volleyball and basketball.

     In 1996, Winnie was inducted into the Canadian Forces Sports Hall of Fame for both swimming and softball in recognition of her achievements while serving with the Canadian Women’s Corps during the Second World War. In 1999, the Ontario Swimming Hall of Fame opened its doors to her and, in the same year, Winnie’s hometown also recognized her considerable aquatic accomplishments when she was inducted into the Mississauga Sports Hall Fame.

     By all accounts, Winnie possessed loads of natural talent. At 11, competing against a field much older than her age, she placed seventh in the CNE 1-mile senior women’s championship, then went on to capture the Ontario championship.

     She was the winner of the National Amateur Athletic Association championship’s 1-mile race in 1943, and the first Canadian to win at the 2.5-mile swim in 1944. She also became the first Canadian to win the American AUU Junior National Long Distance Championship in Clementon, New Jersey.

In 1944 at the CNE, she won the 50-, 100-, 220, and 440-yard events and on the same day came first in the 3-mile swim beating 11 male competitors.

     In 1946 Winnie married carrier army officer Morris Leuszler and in the following year she placed second in the 5-mile World Championship swim race in Toronto, barely three months after her first child was born. Three years later, she placed second in a 5-mile World Championship when she was four months pregnant with her second child. Then came her greatest feat.On August 16, 1951 Winnie became the first Canadian to conquer the English Channel and the first mother of three to achieve the feat.

     The massive-circulation Daily Mail of London invited the top 20 distance swimmers from around the world to participate in a cross-channel swim from France to England. Winnie, leaving her three children (the youngest was just nine months old) at home in Canada, flew to England with a one-way ticket and $30 cash in her purse. Her historic swim was a heroic effort in more ways than one. The water temperature was brisk 48º Fahrenheit and, on the day of the much publicized event, the Channel was rough with waves reaching almost four meters. At one stage, she was well in sight, about a hundred meters from the English shore when strong tides washed her 6.2 miles back. But, never one to give up, she rallied and finished the historic crossing on her first attempt in 13 hours and 25 minutes. In 1954, Winnie attempting to swim Lake Ontario with Marilyn Bell and Florence Chadwick, but boat problems forced her prematurely out of the water.

     Her husband’s posting with the Air Force took them to many places in Canada and overseas, and in 1954, after moving to Calgary, she became involved in the Red Cross Water Safety Program, Royal Lifesaving Program, Stampedes Aquatic Club and Calgary Aquatic Club. From 1954 to 1958, Winnie taught over 5,000 adults and children through her learn-to-swim program. She was also responsible for setting up the first handicap swim program in 1940s.

     From 1958 to 1962, while a member (and coach) at the Metz Moselle Swim Club in France, she won many short and long distance events in France, Germany, Luxemburg and Holland. In 1962, at 36, she won the French long distance championship in the 2-Plus category.