Robyn Nakano is headed to swimming nationals, and it’s a tribute to her lofty goal-setting.
About a week before the recent AAA provincial swim championships in Victoria, Nakano sat down with her mother and said, out of the blue, that she wanted to achieve a national age-class qualifying time in the 200-metre butterfly.
The Grade 6 student at Chief Dan George Middle School got the job done, clocking a time of 2:40.36 to shave nearly eight seconds off her previous personal best. She’ll compete in the 11-and-under division at nationals in Montreal in July.
“She set her goals out, what she wanted to achieve, and she went and did it,” marveled Adrienne Goodey, Nakano’s coach with the Abbotsford Olympians swim club.
Nakano’s gold medal in the 200m fly was just the beginning of a tremendous series of performances at provincials. She also won gold in the 100m fly and the 200m individual medley relay, as well as a bronze in the 200m backstroke.
The fly, particularly for young swimmers, is a tough stroke to master, but Nakano said it’s become a “natural motion” for her.
“It’s definitely harder than a lot of other strokes, because you have to pull more water,” she said. “But it’s become my best stroke.”
The Olympians swim club’s registration is ongoing, and they are currently offering a free month to new members. Call 604-825-1856 or visit abbotsfordolympians.com for more information.
