Answer the following question: Facts: - nicknames: '' bill '' - strokes: freestyle , butterfly , medley - fullname: william m. sawchuk - birth date: 8 january 1959 - name: bill sawchuk - club: thunderbolts swim club - birth place: roblin , manitoba - collegeteam: university of florida Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of bill sawchuk .
Answer:
william m. sawchuk -lrb- born january 8 , 1959 -rrb- is a canadian former swimmer , competing in the butterfly , freestyle and medley events during the 1970s and early 1980s .in his international debut as a 16-year-old at the 1975 pan american games in mexico city , he won a bronze medal for his third-place finish in the 200-metre individual medley .he represented canada at the 1976 summer olympics in montreal , quebec , where he competed in the preliminary heats of the 200 and 400-metre freestyle events , the 400-metre individual medley , and the 4x200-metre freestyle relay .at the 1978 commonwealth games in edmonton , alberta , sawchuk led the three canadian relay teams to gold medals in the 4x100-metre freestyle and the 4x100-metre medley events , and a silver in the 4x200-metre freestyle .in individual competition , he also won two silver medals in the 100-metre freestyle and 200-metre individual medley , and two bronzes in the 100-metre butterfly and 400-metre individual medley -- for a total of seven medals .sawchuk accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the university of florida in gainesville , florida , where he swam for coach randy reese 's florida gators swimming and diving team in national collegiate athletic association -lrb- ncaa -rrb- and southeastern conference -lrb- sec -rrb- competition in 1979 and again in 1981 and 1982 .in his three years as a gator , he was recognized as the sec male swimmer of the year in 1979 , and earned six all-american honours .at the 1981 ncaa swimming championships , sawchuk , together with gator teammates john hillencamp , geoff gaberino and david larson , won the national title in the 800-yard freestyle relay .after his freshman season , sawchuk turned in a five-medal performance at the 1979 pan american games in san juan , puerto rico , winning three silver medals in the 400-metre individual medley , 4x100-metre freestyle relay and 4x100-metre medley relay , and a pair of bronze medals in the 200-metre butterfly and 4x200-metre freestyle relay...