Ontario Junior International 2025

The Ontario Junior International (OJI) meet took place from December 11–14 at the TPASC pool and is recognized as the fastest 18&U competition in Canada. The meet featured exceptional depth across all events, with numerous age group Canadian records and para records set throughout the weekend. ROW was represented by five athletes—Mia T, Sunny X, Sophie R, Lucas LB, and Nathan L—who competed in a truly elite, high-performance environment against the best junior swimmers in the country.

A key takeaway from OJI was the continued development of the mental and emotional side of racing when facing top-level competition. The meet provided valuable opportunities for confidence building, exposure, and experience, particularly in managing pressure through prelims and finals. Racing in this setting challenged athletes to stay composed, resilient, and focused while executing their race plans against deep, fast fields.

Performance-wise, all five athletes achieved at least one personal best, a strong result given the caliber of competition. Sunny X, Sophie R, and Lucas LB qualified for finals, with Lucas also placing top 10 in the 800 freestyle. Sunny recorded top-10 finishes in the 1500 freestyle and 400 IM, and set a new club record in the 15/16 Girls 400 IM with a time of 4:54.70 SCM. Overall, OJI was an outstanding developmental and performance experience that reinforced the athletes’ readiness to compete at the highest junior level in Canada.