Record-Breaking Success at the 2023 Speedo Canadian Swimming Championship
Record-Breaking Success at the 2023 Speedo Canadian Swimming Championships
The 2023 Speedo Canadian Swimming Championships have concluded with a splash. The six day competition held at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre in Scarborough hosted over 825 athletes and 150 clubs from across the country. The competition showcased the best Junior and Senior swimmers in Canada. ROCS had three swimmers qualify and attend the competition: Arthur Galiano, Logan Milne and Olivier Risk. Our three athletes rocked the blocks and with their efforts in the pool ROCS finished in the top 50 in 44th spot in the team standings.
Left: Olivier Risk. Right: Arthur Galiano, Logan Milne - represent ROCS at Summer Nationals!
In his debut on the national stage, Arthur Galiano showcased his versatility by participating in multiple distances in the freestyle and breaststroke events. Despite having broken his arm in a bicycle accident in late June, Galiano pushed his limits and swam several best times. Arthur broke the 13-14 age group club record in the 50 free and finished 31st in the event for the 14-15 year old male category. His efforts were equally commendable in the breaststroke events, where he moved up from 36th to finish 26th in the 200m distance, dropping 3 seconds from his personal best.
Our next swimmer of the championships was Logan Milne, who competed in all three breaststroke distances and displayed remarkable prowess. Logan broke all three open category club records in the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke events. He surged ahead 17 spots to finish in 15th place in the 50m, and in the 100m breast he climbed up the ranks 12 spots to secure the 24th position. The 200m breaststroke was no different, as Logan's impressive efforts propelled him to finish in 16th place after initially being ranked 45th, and secured his first final at a national level meet.
In the same 16-18 male category as Logan, but swimming mainly in freestyle events, Olivier Risk made several top 10 finishes. Risk's exceptional performance in the 1500m freestyle was noteworthy - he not only secured first place in a great come-back swim, but also set a new personal record by over 7 seconds en route to becoming national champion. He swam in the A final in the 200m, 400m, and 800m freestyle events, where he secured the 7th, 9th, and 8th place, respectively. He also finished 19th in the country in the 100m Free. Risk's achievements extended to the individual medley category as well. He moved from a 24th rank to finish in a tie for 11th position in the 400m IM, an impressive range of events that highlight what a hard-working swimmer Olivier is.
Summing up the championships, Coach Nico commented, "Summer Nationals was a very successful meet for our team. I am proud of how our swimmers raced against the best in the country. These athletes have shown that hard work and dedication can lead to success, and that ROCS compete with anyone in Canada!”
