For the first time since 2019, swimmers and staff from the National Development Team Program gathered for a Train and Race Camp.

Thirty-two swimmers who will represent Canada at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in August participated in the camp at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. The team went on to win 36 medals at the annual Mel Zajac Jr. International Swim Meet, consisting of 28 individual and eight relay medals.

Adam Wu of the Surrey Knights Swim Club finished the meet with the most medals on the men’s side. Dominating the mid-distance freestyle events, Wu won individual gold in the 200-m, 400-m and 800-m freestyle. The B.C. swimmer also contributed to a gold in the 4×200-m freestyle relay and a silver in the 4×100-m freestyle relay.

The team spent most of the week together prior to the start of the competition. Wu explained the benefits of getting to train and race together as a team.

“I had an exhilarating time training and competing with the junior national team,” Wu said. “It was a very informative experience that helped me take note of my weaknesses and gain confidence in my strengths. I am so grateful that I have been chosen to represent Canada at the Junior Pan Pacs and I am looking forward to spending more time with the team.”

On the women’s side, Ella Jansen of Etobicoke Swimming finished her meet with three individual and three relay medals. Jansen enjoyed the junior team’s tight-knit environment. Being close with her teammates contributed to her positive outlook on the camp.

“It feels like I’ve known some of the team members my whole life already,” Jansen said. “It was so fun.”

National development team staff organized the camp around different coaches leading swimmers through various racing skills. Head coaches Carl Simonson and Rob Novak worked with Team Lead Ken McKinnon to develop the training template and overall content of the camp, as well as team-building and goal-setting exercises.

Swimming Canada’s Senior Coach, Olympic Program, Martyn Wilby delivered a presentation to the team about Canada’s relay culture and swimmers got to practice their relay skills throughout the week. Team coaches also had the opportunity to meet with McKinnon and Swimming Canada/CSCA Assistant Coach Jy Lawrence. Overall, McKinnon, Swimming Canada’s National Development Coach, says he is excited by the results of the camp.

“It was a really positive camp for our first experience in three years and it will contribute to the team having a successful meet in Hawaii in August,” McKinnon explained.

Developing Canada’s junior team is an important part of Swimming Canada’s strategic initiatives heading into the 2024 and 2028 Olympic cycles. Swimming Canada High Performance Director and National Coach John Atkinson is encouraged at how the skills and education from these kinds of development camps align with the objectives of senior team programming for the future.

“It is great to see our junior team athletes back racing at UBC in the Mel Zajac meet,” Atkinson said. “This will put them in a good place as they head toward the Junior Pan Pacs this summer. The development of swimmers and coaches through these opportunities is critical for the future success of our teams.”

The team will meet again later this summer for a staging camp in Vancouver from Aug. 18-21 before the start of the Junior Pan Pacs competition on Aug. 24 in Hawaii.