Whitehorse’s Alexandra Gabor might not have set any personal best times or broken any records this time around, but she didn’t leave empty-handed.
The Glacier Bear Swim Club member took home a bronze in the 200-metre freestyle - her strongest event - at the Mel Zajac International Swim Meet in Vancouver over the weekend, going up against swimmers from Canada, US, China and Australia.
“None of (my races) were spectacular,” said Gabor. “But it was better than it could have been.”
An open meet - meaning she was up against swimmers above of her 15-17 age group - Gabor took silver losing out to Olympians Dana Vollmer from the US and Canadian Julia Wilkinson.
“It was a good race, but I was hoping for a bit better,” said Gabor. “I just have to train harder. I guess the training in the swimming hasn’t really been there.”
Gabor also took in a pair of fourth place finishes in the 100- and the 400- metre freestyle, missing the podium in the latter by 0.1 of a second. In addition, she also came fifth in the 800-metre freestyle and seventh in the 50-metre freestyle.
At last year’s Zajac meet, Gabor took silver in the 200-metre freestyle - setting an age-group national record in a heat - but also had 10th and 12th place finishes in other events.
“It was a little better (last weekend), I guess, but there were a few things I messed up on - my technique and stuff,” said Gabor. “So it’s not as good as it could have been.
“It was a training meet to see where I’m at. It was mandatory to go, so I had to go, and I just made the best out of it. Now I know what I need to work on - my technique and my fitness level.”
The 17-year-old has her sites set on the more long-term goal of making the Canadian Pan Pacific Championship team at the Pan Pacific Trials at the end of July in Victoria, BC. To help make that a reality, Gabor is currently attending a training camp in Victoria run by Randy Bennett, a Team Canada coach at the Olympics and last year’s world championships.
“It’s pretty intense,” said Gabor. “I’ve never done this much swimming in my life.”
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com