Olympic bronze medal for swimmer with N.L. roots

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 10: Richard Weinberger of Canada competes during the Men's Marathon 10km swim on Day 14 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Hyde Park on August 10, 2012 in London, England. Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

A man with links to Newfoundland won a bronze medal at the London Olympics Friday.

22-year old Richard Weinberger took third place in the men's 10 kilometre marathon swim. He was only five seconds behind the gold medal winner from Tunisia.

Weinberger's mother, Reenie is from Lawn, on the Burin Peninsula. Her maiden name is Brockerville. His grandmother and numerous relatives still live in the community.

"I feel wonderful," said Weinberger's uncle, Bill Kelly, who runs a store in Lawn. He said he knew Richard as a little boy.

Kelly said Weinberger used to come to the island for visits and remembers his love for swimming in a nearby brook.

"At that time we had no dreams he would go farther than that, and now look where he's to!," Kelly exclaimed.

"If the sun shone at all he was walking down the road with a towel around him, and a pair of shorts on, and he was walking to the swimming hole."

Weinberger lives with his family in Arizona, where his father Tony, is a commercial pilot.

Lawn Mayor Bill Lockyer said everyone in the community is immensely proud of Richard's accomplishment.