Local swimmers head to childrens Olympics

By Joanie Veitch - The Weekly News
Fourteen-year-old Conor Gillespie-Friesen and Julianna Robertson, both swimmers with the Dartmouth Crusaders Swim Club, are living a kid's version of the Olympics this week. They are both in Athens as part of the Halifax team for the 43rd annual International Children's Games, an event sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee.

Running from June 24 to 28, the games will use many of the facilities used during the Athens Olympics, held five years ago. It's a detail that makes this event even more exciting for the young athletes.
"Just to be swimming in that pool is going to be pretty amazing," Gillespie-Friesen said in an interview before he left, along with the rest of the Halifax team on June 19.
A competitive swimmer since he was six years old, Gillespie-Friesen said he wants to place in at least the top 10 in the 400-metre freestyle event. Robertson, who is swimming the 100-metre breaststroke and 200-metre IM, is looking for a top spot also.
"I hope to swim my best in Greece and not let the atmosphere of an international stage affect my performance," she said.
There are six Dartmouth Crusader swimmers going to the games, along with head coach Ken Ross and swimmers from other area clubs. The Halifax contingent, which also includes a female basketball squad, is the one of six Canadian teams going to Athens.
Karen Furlong is coordinator for the Halifax group and has been organizing the city's effort for six years.
"During that time we have had five medals and several top-six finishes in swimming, along with two fourth-place finishes in basketball," Furlong said.
Swimmers are chosen based on their best times, with each club sending between four and six swimmers each. Once on the team, the swimmers were jumping into the pool eight times a week - training up to an hour and a half each session.
It's a huge commitment that tests their ability to handle the pressure almost as much as their strength in the pool, said Ross.
"They're all good students too, so they have to learn how to set goals and manage their time. They're learning some pretty valuable life skills," Ross said.
Only 12 years of age, Ellen Taggart is the youngest swimmer to go to Athens. Like her teammates, she is excited to be able to compete in such a large international event.
"For many of them it's their first experience at such a large, multi-sport event," said Ross.
More than 1,500 young athletes from 90 cities around the world will take part in the 2009 Children's Games. The ICG is the world's largest international multi-sport youth games with athletes competing in soccer, swimming, golf, track and field, basketball, tennis, table-tennis and volleyball.
The event first began in 1968 after Slovenian sports instructor Metod Klemenc came up with the idea of a global athletics tournament for children ages 12 through 15 to promote peace and to advance the values of sport and the Olympic spirit.
To date there have been 40 summer and three winter events in 20 different countries.
joanie.veitch@gmail.com