Wilkinson thrilled with new Aquatics Centre
Pat Payton, Sports editor A soon-to-be Canadian Olympic swimmer visited the new Aquatics Centre at the Pyramid Recreation Centre last Wednesday, May 7.
Julia Wilkinson swam with Stratford Kinsmen YMCA Aquatic Club (SKYAC) team members, who train at the new indoor pool several nights each week.
First impressions . . . the 21-year-old Stratford native is thrilled with the 25-metre pool and its potential to produce good, young swimmers in this area.
“I think it’s great that Perth County has a pool like this now,” said Wilkinson, a former SKYAC member. “For so long, we lobbied for a new pool and Stratford just wasn’t giving us anything. It was just hockey, hockey, hockey. I understand that’s the demand in this county.
“But at the same time, there’s a lot of really good potential for swimming and the one pool in Stratford just wasn’t enough for all the demand that the swim team has.
“So it’s awesome to come in here and see a bright new facility such as this, with windows, and the pool is long enough. It just makes me really happy that people are starting to support the sport of swimming in this area,” she added.
Qualified for three events
Wilkinson, meanwhile, will swim for her country at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, Aug. 9-17.
Last month at the Olympic Trials in Montreal, she qualified in three individual events and established two new Canadian records in the process.
She opened with a new Canadian record in the 100-metre backstroke, then
lowered the time in the evening final.
The next day, she added another record in the 200m freestyle, and followed
that with the second-fastest 200m individual medley in Canadian history.
In addition to those three events, Wilkinson also qualified to compete on
the 400m and 800m freestyle relay teams, and in the 400m medley relay in
Beijing.
Swimmer-of-the-year honours
Her success at the Olympic Trials continues an excellent year to date for
Julia Wilkinson.
In February, she was named Big 12 swimmer-of-the-year and MVP for her
University of Texas A & M team as the Junior led the Aggies to the
conference title with three record-breaking individual swims (100
backstroke, 100 freestyle and 200 individual medley) and a share of four
relay titles.
“She’s had a sensational year, particularly in her last three meets,” Texas
A & M swim coach Steve Bultman said on the Aggies’ website.
“She’s had quite a year, and I think even better things are to come from her
in the future as well.”
Three Olympic goals
Wilkinson has set some Olympic goals for herself.
“There’s three things I’d really like,” she said. “I’d love to swim all-best
times in all my (three individual) swims, so I know I’ve improved from where
I was before.
“I’d also like to (finish) in the top eight in all my swims, to make it into
the final.
“Obviously, a medal is in the back of my mind, but for a medal I’m focusing
on trying to help the relays get a medal. I feel that’s my best chance to
get a medal . . . on a relay with three other girls.”