| Donovan Tildesley | |
| Nicknames: | Big D |
| Nationality: | Canadian |
| Strokes: | Medley Freestyle Butterfly |
| Collegeteam: | University of British Columbia Dolphins |
| Birth Date: | 24 July 1984 |
| Birth Place: | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Height: | 166cm (65inches) |
| Weight: | 62kg (137lb) |
Donovan Tildesley (born July 24, 1984) is a retired blind Canadian swimmer. He was the flag bearer of Canada at the 2008 Paralympic Games.[1]
He started swimming at the age of nine.[2] Until 2000, he had swum in many provincial and national competitions, setting many Canadian records.[2]
He is the current world record holder for the 800-metre freestyle[3] and the 1500-metre freestyle.[3]
Tildesley graduated from the University of British Columbia in spring 2008 with an English degree[4] Donovan works full-time as an insurance broker for Buntain Insurance Agencies in Vancouver.[5] He also does public speaking and is a co-owner of a small radio station in Whistler, British Columbia. In May 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia, Tildesley advocated for blind British Columbians to be given vaccine priority similar to vulnerable groups with other medical conditions. Donovan is also a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and is currently contracted with Virgin Cruise Lines as an Accessibility Consultant.