Tim McIsaac was a pioneer for the rich tradition of disabled swimmers in this province. Born blind, McIsaac first swam as part of the phys. ed. program at the Ross MacDonald School for the Blind. His first major competition at the Ontario Games in 1975 saw him capture 5 gold medals. Thus encouraged to pursue competitive swimming, McIsaac was named to the Canadian Olympic Team for the disabled and competed in Toronto in 1976 (1 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze).

His coach devised a system whereby McIsaac was tapped on the head or arm and he learned to tumble turn as all sighted swimmers do. He was the first blind swimmer in the world to use this method, a method which is now compulsory in competition.

On the national level Tim McIsaac amassed a phenomenal record: 19 gold medals at two Canadian Games, 12 gold at two Canadian Indoor Games, 28 gold at four Canadian Summer Nationals, 28 gold at four Canadian Foresters Games, and 10 gold at two Canadian Paralympic trials.

His dominance continued on the international scene. At the Paralympic Games, in 1980 in Holland (4 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze), in 1984 in New York (4 gold, 3 silver) and in 1988 in Seoul, Korea (6 gold, 3 bronze), he ruled the pool. At the World Games in 1979 in Stoke Mandeville, England he won 4 gold and 2 silver medals. In Gothenberg, Sweden in 1986 he won 1 gold, 2 silver and 8 bronze medals.

Tim McIsaac was also the first blind student to graduate from the University of Winnipeg with a Bachelor of Education degree. He was the Manitoba Male Athlete of the Year in 1982. He was awarded the Viscount Alexander Award as Canada’s most outstanding junior male athlete in 1976 and named Canadian Athlete of the Year in 1982.