July 14, 2000
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THE UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA July 14, 2000 |
| Vikes Rick Say and Christin Petelski are bound for Sydney, Australia after outstanding performances at the Canadian Olympic swimming trials in Montreal last month. This is the second time in four years that Petelski has qualified for the Olympics. This year, however, she’ll compete in two events, the 100m and 200m breaststroke, rather than one. Petelski finished eighth in the 200m breaststroke at the Atlanta Games in 1996. Freestyler Rick Say won outstanding male swimmer of the meet after breaking the longest standing Canadian record in the 200m freestyle and qualifying for the Olympics in four separate freestyle events. The trial results were bittersweet for Vikes head coach Peter Vizsolyi as several of the swimmers he had high hopes for failed to break the Olympic qualifying times and claim spots on the Olympic team. “As usual, the trials were a great experience for many and a disappointment for others,” says Viszolyi. “Overall though, UVic and Island Swim have worked together to create a much stronger and more successful program for our athletes and that has shown through in this meet.” Several spots on the Olympic team were left open because no swimmer was able to break the Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur (FINA) two-per-country qualifying time in particular events. That’s good news for breaststroker John Stamhuis and freestyler Danielle Bell because they’ll have all summer to try and break the FINA times at other meets and claim a spot on the Canadian team. The FINA times are international time standards that must be met by every Olympic-bound swimmer in the world regardless of head-to-head results at national qualifying events. |