These days, when Alexandra Gabor finishes first, she’s not only winning a medal, she’s often setting high-water marks.
Gabor, 16, won gold in the 200-metre freestyle at the Canada Cup in Toronto on Sunday.
That makes her the first Whitehorse Glacier Bears Swim Club member to win a senior Canadian championship. In August, she became the first Yukoner to win gold at the Canada Summer Games.
“It was a pretty good race, considering the new suits and my lack of training,” said Gabor, who was also given the Sprint High Point Award at the meet. “I didn’t want to go in there expecting records or times or anything. So I just went there, raced them and tried to do the best I could. I guess it paid off. I wish my time was a little faster, but I’m not complaining.”
However, Gabor was not the only Bear to bring home hardware. Teammate Bronwyn Pasloski, 17, swam to a bronze in the 100-metre breaststroke on Friday.
Although no BC or Canadian records were set by either swimmer, Pasloski did set two Glacier Bears club records, in the 200-metre breaststroke and in the 100-metre individual medley.
“It was a great meet - fantastic,” said Glacier Bears head coach Marek Poplawski.
“The best Canadian swimmers are here so they were racing the best.”
The two Glacier Bears swimmers, the only two at the event, also made it to the finals of eight events between them, with Pasloski taking fifth in the 200 breaststroke, sixth in the 100-metre individual medley and eighth in 50-metre breaststroke.
Gabor’s other three finals ended with fourth in 100 free, sixth in 400 free and seventh in the 50 free.
Named International Female Athlete of the Year by Sport Yukon on Friday, Gabor recently competed in FINA World Cup meets in Germany and Sweden, winning a bronze medal at each event, both in the 200 free. Since returning a couple weeks ago, she has cut back on her training regiment.
“I’m not exhausted or anything, but I haven’t been putting in quality training, just resting the whole time,” said Gabor. “I’ve got to go back to the pool, back to the drawing board and work really hard for the next little bit.”
The Toronto meet is the first of three Canada Cup events this season. Gabor believes she will skip Montreal’s Cup, but will attend Vancouver’s in May, followed by a training camp.
“The Quebec Cup is a little far away - Vancouver’s a lot closer,” said Gabor.
Former Glacier Bear Mackenzie Downing, who now swims at the National Training Academy in Victoria, BC, won bronze medals in the 100- and 200-metre women’s butterfly in Toronto.
While representing the Yukon at the Canada Summer Games in August, Gabor won four medals including gold in the 200 and 400 free. Before August, the Yukon had only ever won two medals at the Summer Games, both in cycling. Gabor also won a bronze in Toronto’s Canada Cup a year ago.
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com