Canadian 14-year old Taylor Ruck, currently training in the United States at the Scottsdale Aquatic Club, has annihilated the Canadian National Age Group Record in the 200 meter backstroke on day 2 of the 2015 Pro Swim Series meet in Austin, Texas.
Ruck swam a 2:10.22, which broke the 2009 NAG Record for 13-14’s of 2:14.28, done by current North Carolina Tar Heel (in the United States college system) Annie Harrison.
Canada has had a slew of impressive 200 backstrokers in the last decade – names like Julia Wilkinson, Sinead Russell, Dominique Bouchard, Brooklynn Snodgrass, Hilary Caldwell, Brittany MacLean (who was a great backstroker as a junior swimmer), and countless others.
Ruck has blown them all away with her swim by four seconds, and despite her young age, now ranks 8th on the all-time Canadian rankings for swimmers of any age.
The top 10:
- Hilary Caldwell, 2:06.80 (2013)
- Sinead Russell, 2:08.04 (2012)
- Genevieve Cantin, 2:09.40 (2014)
- Julia Wilkinson, 2:09.53 (2012)
- Dominique Bouchard, 2:09.59 (2014)
- Brooklynn Snodgrass, 2:09.76 (2014)
- Lauren Lavigna, 2:10.03 (2009)
- Taylor Ruck, 2:10.22 (2015)
- Katelyn Murdoch, 2:10.74 (2009)
- Barbara Jardin, 2:10.78 (2009)
Russell currently holds the record for the next age group up, the 15-17’s, at 2:08.89.
Scottsdale is about 1250 feet, definitely NOT training at altitude.
Taylor turns 15 the end of May so she’s got more time to break those 13-14 NAGs!
Her parentage (canadian), living and training situation (at altitude), stunning 200 back/free times for 14 yo are so frighteningly similar to the great M. Franklin.
And you can add a long body built for swimming. Definitely Missy-like phenom.That’s what I say for a long time now. And Rowdie Gaines said her parents would love to see her swim one day for USA. Very interesting.
Canada should ask their young phenoms to stop training in the USA and move back to their part of rocky mountains 🙂
Swimmers who want to compete at the highest level possible and chase their Olympic dreams should feel free to train anywhere in the world… Can’t agree with limiting someone’s potential by making them train in Canada.