Remembering Peter Suen

This past May, the University of Ottawa’s varsity swim team dealt with the tragic loss of Peter Suen, who had recently completed his third year of studies in biology. Suen was spending the summer in Montreal, Que., enjoying time off school with his family, when he died unexpectedly of natural causes. Suen was 22 years old. Born in Hong Kong, Suen immigrated to Canada at a young age. He began his swimming career with the Samak Swim Club, located just outside of Montreal. Suen’s talents were quickly identified by his coaches—he was a versatile swimmer who excelled at many events, including the backstroke, the butterfly, and the individual medley events. Suen was part of the Gee-Gees recruiting class of 2007 and was the only member from that class to qualify for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) swimming championships three years in a row. Most recently, he competed in four events at the 2010 CIS championships held in Toronto and posted a commendable 13th place finish in the 200-metre backstroke. Though Suen was one of the smallest members of the Gees swim team, he was well-known for coming up huge in clutchsituations. His raw talents—he had a powerful underwater kick—combined with his competitive nature, made Suen a rising star in his sport of choice. “[Suen’s] passion for swimming was immense and he was a true competitor,” said Gee-Gees head coach Derrick Schoof. Though Schoof only became Ottawa’s coach in July 2009, Suen had already made an exceptionally positive impression on his coach in the past year. “His passing is a tremendous loss to the Gee-Gees varsity swim team. [Suen] was not only one of our top performers, but [he was] also a team leader,” Schoof said. “He was charismatic, supportive, kind-hearted, and well-liked by his teammates. He represented the Gee-Gees incredibly well and will be remembered fondly.” Suen had many interests in his life aside from his main passion, swimming. Like many of his peers at the U of O, Suen loved playing video games, was a devoted fan of the Montreal Canadiens, and cherished the company of his friends. “Peter was truly a one of a kind person. He loved to have fun and make people laugh. His loss is personally devastating, and my thoughts are with his family,” said Rob Irvine, Suen’s roommate at away competitions and one of his closest friends on the swim team. Although Suen’s passing came as a shock to the entire Gee-Gees community, his memories at the university will live on forever. His charm, wit, and friendly personality touched everyone that knew him. As for the grieving swim team members, they will dedicate the 2010–11 CIS season to their former teammate, promised Schoof. “He will be in our thoughts and we will compete hard this season in honour of his memory.”