Langley Olympians Swim Club (LOSC) competitors Bailey Herbert, 18, and Hugh McNeill, 17, will get their shot at the Olympics later this month.
Both will take part in the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Trials from June 19 to 23, the event that will select swimmers for the 2020 Games now scheduled for July 23 to August 8.
They will join a limited number of swimmers competing under COVID-19 restrictions at the five-day Canadian selection meet in Toronto.
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Herbert and McNeill are Swimming Canada carded athletes, meaning that they are provided financial support by Swimming Canada and Sport Canada to assist in their pursuit of high-performance swimming.
Herbert was a two-time International Junior Team member for Canada. She participated in the 2018 Junior Pan Pacific Games in Fiji and in the 2019 World Junior Championships in Hungary. She also represented Team BC in the 2020 LEN (European) Swimming Cup in Luxembourg.
McNeill represented Team BC in the 2020 LEN (European) Swimming Cup.
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McNeill will be swimming in the 100 metre backstroke, 1500 metre freestyle, 400 metre individual medley and the 200 metre backstroke events, while Herbert will compete in the 100 metre breaststroke, 200 metre individual medley, 200 metre breaststroke and 400 metre individual medley.
A join statement issued by LOSC head coach Brian Metcalfe and assistant coach Zachary Haw said swimmers and coaching staff appreciated the opportunity for swimmers to be able to train long course metres at the Walnut Grove Pool.
“We are glad to see the our swim club represented in the 2020 Olympic Trials and reach the pinnacle of the high performance sport despite the COVID situation,” Metcalfe and Haw said.
“With the gradual easing of restrictions in BC, our members and coaches also can’t wait to be able to host our own swim meets in the Township of Langley to finish our season off with a bang! Most of all, we are grateful to our members – parents and swimmers – for their support and a job well done this challenging and different season. Thank you for sticking through the dark days of COVID-19. However, the dark days are behind us and we are excited for what the brighter days bring!”
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