Mighty Barracuda Olympic Trials Spotlight: Keira Mullins

Mighty Barracuda Olympic Trials Spotlight: Keira Mullins
Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Swimmer: Keira Mullins
Age: 17
Current Grade: 12
School: All Saints High School
Plans for Next Year: Attending University of Minnesota in their Biological Sciences Programming

Years Swimming:  11 Years total, having swum in Colorado and Alberta before finding her way to Ottawa
Events at Olympic Trials: 100 BR, 200 BR, 200 IM, 400 IM

Pre-Race Routine: Disconnect and focus by listening to music.
Best Pump Up Song: Lose Yourself by Eminem
Favourite Food: Fish crackers, bear paws and juice boxes
What she does when a race doesn’t go as planned: Shake off a 'bad' race. Evaluate and refocus. It's often a mental block not a physical one.  

If she could give advice to her 10 year old self, what would it be? Move to NKB sooner.



Keira's journey to the Olympic Trials, like many others, started as a family affair and following in her big brother’s wake.  Where one sibling goes, so too does the younger sibling, eh?. From the moment she dipped her toes into the pool, however, it was clear she was destined for a greatness all her own.

When asked about her journey to the Olympic Trials and the keys to her success, she’s quick to note there is no single thing that made her successful but rather it was the culmination of relentless dedication, perseverance, and unwavering commitment to her sport. Every early morning practice, every grueling workout, and every setback overcome contributed to the foundation upon which her success was built. It was the ongoing pursuit of improvement, the resilience to bounce back from setbacks, and the unyielding determination to push herself beyond her limits that paved the way for her achievements.  “It's everything, but I think the most important aspect has been learning from setbacks and being able to come back for the next competition mentally stronger. Training builds physical strength; the biggest challenge is always the mental component and that takes commitment and accountability.”

Keira’s time with NKB has been marked with success and exponential growth.  She of course always kept the energy high and her coaches on edge long before donning the green and black though.  She shares about how one of her most memorable races was a nailbiter that brought everyone to their feet we’re sure.  At the age of 12, she swam to her first OYJ qualifying time with less than a second to spare in the 800 FR! Shifting to her success once with NKB, she takes pride in her provincial titles and recognizes that she has become a force to be reckoned with at the national level .  However, she keenly notes that it's a not yet in regards to national level medals, indicative of her fierce competitive edge and enduring drive to always be better..  As her friends attest, she is a girl who has goals set for herself and nothing will stop her from going for them.  

With all the hard work, one might ask where the fun is.  There’s no shortage of that too for Keira.  “What makes swimming fun is the positivity of the other swimmers, and travel meets!”.  The best part is hands down her teammates, regardless if they are pushing each other in the middle of a long set, relaxing in the hot tub after practice, or piling into the bus and headed off to another round of finals.  “Team travel has been one of my favourite things about moving to NKB because we support one another, especially once we start racing.”

As Keira stands on the brink of her Olympic Trials debut, she knows that this is her moment - one that she has earned through hard work and perseverance and one in which she deserves to shine.  “We are so proud of everything Keira has accomplished, especially after moving to NKB,” Keira’s parents express with pride.  “The coaches, her teammates and other parents are amazing, coupled with her commitment and work ethic, the result has been accomplishments well beyond what we had ever imagined. NKB truly promotes excellence and has provided such an amazingly positive and supportive environment for Keira to flourish!”

With determination burning in her veins, Keira set her sights on the Olympic Trials. She knew the road would be tough, filled with hurdles and challenges yet to be conquered. But armed with her goals and the unwavering support of her friends, coaches, and teammates, she’s been chasing that dream with everything she has.  Keira, we are excited to be your loudest fans as you take your well deserved moment to show Canada the greatness we get to see in you every day. 






Stay tuned to your email for daily stories of our athletes as we approach the 2024 Bell Canadian Olympic Trials, or visit the News section of the  NKB Swimming website for current and past stories.