After his recent outstanding performance at Senior Nationals in Sannich, Richmond Rapids swimmer Nicolaas Dekker has been named to the Canadian Junior Pan Pacific Championship team.
The Junior Pan Pacs make up some of the best 18-andunder swimmers from Canada, Japan, Australia, and the US. The meet, which runs on non-Olympic and non-World Championship years, will be held in Maui, starting in August.
Dekker was selected for the team primary due to his performances in the butterfly events, which increased in strength and ranking as the meet progressed.
On Wednesday, Dekker was scratched into finals for the 50-meter fly, improving his initial 18th place and finishing 13th overall in the event. This was his first-ever senior national final swim, but not the last of the week.
"My biggest goal for the meet was to make a final. This was my fifth senior national level competition and getting a second swim was something I did not achieve in the previous four," said Dekker Two days later, Dekker earned his top-16 spot in the morning for the 100-meter fly, winning the B final in 54.83 seconds, 1.39 seconds faster than his seed time.
The cherry on the weekend was the 200-meter discipline, where Dekker qualified seventh in prelims, putting him in his first ever 'A' final. He went on to improve another .6 seconds on his 2.3 drop from the morning, and finished sixth overall.
"I am really excited to be a part of the team and represent Canada," said Dekker. "Making this team is an important stepping-stone for the pursuit of my long term goals."
