Thanks Wendy Judson for contributing this report.
Oakville Aquatic Club are counting down the days and hours to the 2016 Canadian Olympic & Para Swimming Trials. OAK is sending 28 athletes along to the Trials being held at Toronto Pan Am Sport Centre, each hoping to represent Canada in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Representing OAK will be: Gamal Assad, Dominque Bouchard, Tessa Cieplucha, Mack Darragh, Alexandra Fabugais-Inaba, Matthew Fox, Annika Grewal, Kyle Haas, Mackenzie Hamill, Jacqueline Keire, Bryce Kwiecien-Delaney, Lauren Lalumiere, Aysia Leckie, Matthew Mac, Maddison Murray, Osvald Nitski, Marni Oldershaw, Kristen Olvet, Leon Qin, Abbey Saunders, Peter Serles, Luka Tomic, Katie Vanderbeek, Evan White, David Whiteside, Connor Wilkins, Mabel Zavaros and Rosie Zavaros.
Twin sisters, Mabel and Rosie Zavaros (16) have qualified for 11 events between them. Mabel qualified for 7 events alone and Rosie 4, which is a huge accomplishment being the youngest members of the OAK contingent attending the trials. The sisters who attend Iroquois Ridge High School have had to work hard and manage to combine school and training with an ever-increasing competition schedule.
Tessa Cieplucha (17) has qualified in no less than 6 events and is currently ranked in the Top 5 in Canada for 400 IM. Cieplucha also represented Canada at the 2015 FINA World Junior Swimming Championships in Singapore where she placed 10th in the 400IM. Cieplucha will be heading off to join the Tennessee Volunteers swim team at the University of Tennessee in the Fall.
Evan White (20) who attends the University of Michigan currently ranks #1 in Canada for the 200IM and is qualified in 4 events. At the Canadian Swimming Trials in 2014, White achieved a time of 1:59.84 being just a few tenths short of the Canadian record. White also was a member of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games team and earned himself a fourth-place finish in the 200IM his signature event.
Sean Baker, Head Coach of Oakville Aquatic Club said “The athletes are coming off a great pre-season with a very good preparation camp in Barbados in March. I know they will be walking on that pool deck with great attitudes and intentions. They will rise to the occasion and make us all proud regardless of whether they make the Olympic Team or not.”
With Rio 2016 drawing ever nearer OAK are sending a contingent of their young swimmers and families to cheer on and support their older team mates.
The 2016 Canadian Olympic & Para Swimming Trials will take place April 5-10 2016. Most of the action will be broadcast on CBC. Preliminary heats begin at 10 a.m. and finals begin at 7 p.m. each day. Tickets are still on sale and available from https://swimmingcanada.tickit.ca/
Swimming news courtesy of Oakville Aquatics.
has anyone seen a start list posted for Canadian Trials?