The last 10 months have all been leading up to this.
This week, Ladysmith’s Maria De Leeuw is making a splash in the BC Summer Games pool, and mere hours after the games close on July 22, the 13-year-old swimmer will fly out to Calgary to compete at the nationals.
“I’m really excited; I know quite a few people from the Island going,” she said. “I’m really hoping to represent my swim team and community.”
De Leeuw was selected to compete in the BC Summer Games due to accumulating the most FINA points in the Vancouver Island zone for the breaststroke. While at the Games, De Leeuw will compete in 100 breaststroke (a category in which she is ranked No. 1 in her age group), 200 breaststroke, 200 IM, 50 Free, 200 Free and 100 Fly. Preliminary heats will take place in the mornings, and the top eight will compete for a podium placing in the afternoons.
While she is extremely excited about the opportunity to compete and win medals, De Leeuw said just the experience alone will be worth the hard work.
“They say the opening and closing ceremonies are just like the Olympics,” she said. “I’m going to enjoy myself as much as I can.”
This will also be De Leeuw’s last opportunity to compete in the BC Summer Games, as the Games are held every two years, and competitive swimming is capped at under 15 years of age.
De Leeuw’s performance times at the All-Star Team Meet in Langley earned her a spot at the nationals in Calgary, where she will compete with seasoned 13- and 14-year-olds. De Leeuw, who just turned 13 last week, says she is looking forward to swimming in front of relatives for the first time while at nationals.
“It’s pretty difficult to make finals, so I’m really just hoping for best times,” she said.
De Leeuw got started in swimming at the age of five with the Ladysmith Orcas but now swims with the Nanaimo Riptide Swim Club.
Scott Flood, De Leeuw’s coach, said he feels she is up to the challenge that the BC Games will offer.
“Maria has shown great dedication throughout the year and is showing that she’s emerging as one of the top swimmers in the country for her age group,” he said. “[Getting to] the Games is an example of that.”
Flood said it will be up to De Leeuw to keep up her confidence in and out of the pool.
“All the physical work is done; it’s going to be about staying relaxed, staying focused on the little things, making sure she’s doing all the little things we’ve worked on all year,” he said. “If she can do that, she’ll do great.”
