Doctor’s return to the pool yields medals at recent Gay Games in Spain

En route to collecting four medals at the recently completed 2026 Gay Games in Valencia, Spain, Dr. Bill Bradley couldn’t help but take a moment to pause and reflect on his journey.  

A lifelong swimmer, Bill experienced a heart attack five years ago and wasn’t sure when he would get back in the pool.

Then two years ago, he underwent a significant operation on his shoulder which caused another setback from the sport.

It wasn’t until late last year that he decided to restart his training and set his sights on competing again, with a goal of going to Valencia.  

He was almost overcome with emotion at the thought of it all.  

“It’s hard to describe,” he says. “I feel really good about it because I swam really well.  I had set these goals and I did better than what I thought I was going to be able to do.”

It’s not the first time Bill, a physician who has been working in psychiatry out of the community mental health clinic in Cole Harbour for 35 years, has competed in the Gay Games.

He participated in the 1994 games in New York City and in 1998 in Amsterdam but came home without any medals.  

This time, however, he won gold in the 50-metre breaststroke, silver in the 100 and 200-metre breaststroke, and a silver in the 50-metre freestyle, all in the 70-74 age category, setting three Nova Scotia Provincial Records and a Gay Games record along the way.  

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But given his past health struggles, he wanted to beat certain times in each event and winning medals far from his mind.

“The medals were the icing on the cake, but the thing that I feel proudest about is setting in my sight these time goals and actually achieving them,” he says. “So many things came together, and it was an awesome experience that way.”

Aside from the medals, Bill enjoyed meeting other like-minded people in Valencia, which hosted more than 10,000 2SLGBTQIA+ athletes from 81 countries competing in 39 sports.

“Swimmers – I love being around them – they’re fun and they’re focused. And then the whole being around a group of gay people that have a common interest like sports, well we don’t get a lot of that here. And so, it was very comfortable,” he says, adding he enjoyed meeting people from a diverse group of countries, including some who are not as friendly to the community.

“We’re very fortunate here in Canada, but other places in the world they’re not as fortunate as we are, so them being around a wider community sure makes them feel like they’re not alone.

A member of the Halifax Chronos Masters Swimming Club, Bill has felt at home in the pool from a very young age, having started when he was 10 years old.  

“Being in the pool is not just a stress reliever, but the day after a workout is emotionally, physically, psychologically, it’s just so at ease and at peace,” he says.  

Given his own recent health experiences, he has first-hand experience with the benefits of remaining active and brings that message to the clients he meets in the clinic.  

“It’s an easy thing to suggest but a difficult thing for people to do when they’re depressed. But if we can get them to do it then they do feel better, whether they’re on medication or not,” he says. “If they already are on medication, it’s like adding another medication – whether that’s biking, or swimming, or running, or walking, anything really.”

Now back at work following his time in Spain, Bill is taking a break from swimming but has not ruled out participating in the 2030 Gay Games in Perth, Australia, when he’ll be 74.

Photos of Dr. Bill Bradley.