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Vikes Paralympic Swimmer Dixon Appointed to Order of Canada

VICTORIA - On Dec. 29 Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, announced 125 new appointments to the Order of Canada and this included Vikes alumna and Paralympic swimmer Stephanie Dixon. The new member list includes 4 Companions (C.C.), 35 Officers (O.C.) and 86 Members (C.M.)

[OFFICIAL RELEASE]

Dixon was appointed for achieving excellence in the sport of swimming and for her leadership as an advocate for parasport.

In April 2016 Dixon was inducted into the UVic Sports Hall of Fame and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. Dixon represented Canada at three Olympic Games (2000, 2004 and 2008) amassing 19 Paralympic medals - seven gold, 10 silver and two bronze. She is the only Paralympian to win the same event in world record time at three-consecutive games,

As a Vike, Dixon became the first S9 level athlete to qualify for the U SPORTS (then CIS) national championship under able-bodied standards and was awarded a 2004-05 CIS Honorary First Team All-Canadian award. Dixon was also named University of Victoria's Athlete of the Year in 2004 and 2005, while she is a five-time Canadian Female Para Swimmer of the Year and seven-time B.C. Female Para Swimmer of the Year. Dixon attended UVic from 2003 to 2007 and graduated with a Bachelors in Psychology and is still heavily involved in the sports world as a Right to Play Ambassador, Para Pan American Games Ambassador (2007) and she was Assistant Chef de Mission for the Para Pan American Games in Toronto in 2015.

At the Canada Sports Hall of Fame Dixon gave a compelling acceptance speech. Watch on Sportsnet Here.

About the Order of Canada
Created in 1967, the Order of Canada, one of our country's highest civilian honours, recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. Close to 7000 people from all sectors of society have been invested into the Order. Their contributions are varied, yet they have all enriched the lives of others and have taken to heart the motto of the Order: DESIDERANTES MELIOREM PATRIAM ("They desire a better country"). Appointments are made by the governor general on the recommendation of the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada.

Story from Vikes website

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