A pair of local swimmers are making a splash nationally this week.
Maggie Manning competed in the Speedo Can Am Para-Swimming Championships held in Windsor, Ont., from March 31 to April 2.
Manning placed second in the 800 freestyle, making her the top Canadian, and was also selected to swim on Canada’s 4x100 metre ‘A’ relay team, who went on to win the relay.
Columbia Shuswap Selkirks Swim Club head coach Barry Healy said all three of Manning’s relay teammates swam at the Paralympic games in Rio last summer.
Manning found out she would be representing Canada on the relay team the day of the race. It was also her 17th birthday.
Manning said she found racing for Canada a thrilling experience.
“Hopefully it will be my first time of many; it was a really good birthday present,” she said.
Healy described Manning’s performance as absolutely brilliant.
“I think for her to get selected to swim for Canada, on behalf of the club and the city, it’s a massive move for her,” he said “To swim for Canada, it’s going to help her in a whole bundle of ways, her confidence for one, her CV when she’s looking for universities. Scholarships, it’s going to help with them too.”
Along with the successful relay, Manning set personal best times in all but one of her individual events.
Manning will have another chance to compete internationally as she heads off to the Para-Swimming World Series in Indianapolis in June.
Chantel Jeffrey, another Selkirks swimmer, is on her way to the Canadian Swimming Trials in Victoria later this week.
Fifteen-year-old Jeffrey is at her best in the long-distance events. She will be competing in the 1500, 800 and 400 metre freestyle events as well as the 400-metre individual medley.
“It gives you more time to think about what you’re doing rather than just going,” Jeffrey said about her preference for the longer races.
“I’m always strategizing when I’m doing distance events, so I’m always thinking about what the other swimmers are doing, what I’m doing, how much energy I’ve got left, stuff like that,” she said.
Going in to the meet in Victoria, Jeffrey is ranked seventh in the 1,500-metre, the longest event held in pools.
“The longer the event gets the better I am,” she said.
Jeffrey has been putting in the kilometres in preparation for the meet in Victoria, training twice per day while she was on spring break and putting in as many as six kilometres in a two-hour practice.
She says she has low medal expectations but is looking forward to a chance to get experience in national competition.