John Atkinson, Swimming Canada High Performance Director and National Coach, 2019 World Championships swimmers and coaches acknowledgement

Before the 2019 FINA World Championships completely fade, and the Pan Am/Parapan Am Games, Canadian Swimming Championships, UANA Junior Open Water Championships, FINA World Junior Championships and World Para Swimming Championships get going, I wanted to acknowledge the work of our coaches and staff on the team that helped create the environment for the athletes to perform.

Before we get to that, congratulations to our 11 athletes that came away from Korea with a medal! They did a fantastic job and I look forward to the journey to our April Trials in Toronto next year, and onward to the Olympic Games.

I would like to acknowledge each medal-winning athlete and their personal coaches’ achievements (at the risk of missing something, but here goes):

• Kylie Masse (100 back gold, 200 back bronze, 4×100 medley bronze) University of Toronto/Toronto Swim Club and coaches Byron MacDonald and Linda Kiefer.
• Maggie MacNeil (100 fly gold, 4×100 free bronze, 4×100 medley bronze) from the London Aquatic Club coached by Andrew Craven, and now at the University of Michigan with coaches Mike Bottom and Rick Bishop.
• Sydney Pickrem (200 IM bronze, 200 breast bronze, 4×100 medley bronze) – Texas A&M and coach Steve Bultman
• Penny Oleksiak (4×100 free bronze, 4×200 free bronze, 4×100 medley bronze) Toronto Swim Club and from the Swimming Canada High Performance Centre – Ontario and coach Ben Titley.
• Taylor Ruck (4×100 free bronze, 4×200 free bronze, 4×100 medley bronze) Scarborough Swim Club, and swam at Stanford University and Greg Meehan, and the Swimming Canada High Performance Centre – Ontario and coach Ben Titley
• Kayla Sanchez (4×100 free bronze, 4×200 free bronze) from the Swimming Canada High Performance Centre – Ontario and coach Ben Titley
• Emily Overholt (4×200 free bronze) UBC Thunderbird Swim Club and from the Swimming Canada High Performance Centre – Vancouver and coach Tom Johnson
• Eric Hedlin (5km open water bronze) from UVIC Pacific Coast Swimming and coach Ron Jacks
• Rebecca Smith (4×100 free bronze, 4×200 free bronze, 4×100 medley) Scarborough Swim Club, trained with the University of Toronto and coaches Byron MacDonald and Linda Kiefer, and at the Swimming Canada High Performance Centre – Ontario and coach Ben Titley
• Emma O’Croinin (4×200 free bronze) from the Edmonton Keyano Swimming Club and coach Paul Birmingham.
• Kierra Smith (4×100 medley bronze) Scarborough Swim Club and from the Swimming Canada High Performance Centre – Ontario and coach Ben Titley

The environment and culture in the team was very positive and all the staff added to this positive approach. Swimming Canada Senior Coach, Olympic Program, Martyn Wilby led the coaches throughout our staging camp and then into the eight days of the pool competition, as the pool team head coach. Mark Perry, Swimming Canada Distance/Open Water Coach, performed the same role with our open water team throughout their staging and the open water competition. Both Martyn and Mark’s dedication and attention to detail were greatly appreciated.

The team coaches also contributed significantly and did a fantastic job not only working with their own swimmers, but also working with athletes of other coaches they looked after on the team. In no particular order thanks to the team coaches:

Pool team coaches

• Ben Titley. Swimming Canada High Performance Centre – Ontario
• Tom Johnson. Swimming Canada High Performance Centre – Vancouver
• Ryan Mallette. Swimming Canada High Performance Centre – Victoria
• Vlastimil Cerny, University of Manitoba Bisons
• Linda Kiefer, University of Toronto
• Dave Johnson, Cascade Swim Club (Calgary)

Open Water team coaches

• Steve Price, University of British Columbia
• Ron Jacks, Pacific Coast Swimming

Our integrated support team staff and team management also worked very hard through the whole tour.

I look forward to the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, Canadian Swimming Championships, UANA Junior Open Water Championships, FINA World Junior Championships, World Para Swimming Championships and then all getting back into things ready for the start of the Olympic season at the end of August!

Full team list: HERE