An outstanding performance at the recent Canadian Swimming Trials has earned Luke Reilly the opportunity to represent his country at two high-profile events this summer.
The 18-year-old from Richmond is among 30 swimmers named to compete for Canada at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland in July. A month later, he will be at the Pan Pacific Championships on the Gold Coast in Australia. Reilly is among 18 newcomers to Canada's senior national team.
At the National Trials in Saanich, Reilly finished second to hometown favourite Alec Page in the men's 400 individual medley.
Page, a 2012 Olympian and defending Trials champion, was nearly reeled in by Reilly on the final length but held on for the victory in 4:15.80 seconds. Reilly, a product of the National Development Team Program who trains out of UBC, finished just 0.06 behind. They were the third and fourth fastest times in the world this year.
"I didn't expect to go that fast," said Reilly, who broke Page's national age group record with a fifth-place finish in the 400-m IM at the world junior championships this past winter. "I've had my sights set on Alec for a while."
The times were personal bests for both swimmers.
"It was a great race," said Page, 20, who trains at the Swimming Canada High Performance Centre -Victoria. "I just managed to finish first. I saw that Luke was gaining on me and I just put my head down to the wall. It was fantastic to win this event at home."
Reilly also turned in a terrific performance in the 200 IM final, finishing second to another rising star - 18-year-old Evan White of Oakville, ON. He touched the wall in 1:59.84 which was just off the Canadian record. Reilly was clocked in 2:03.79. Page was seventh.
Reilly happens to be coached by threetime Richmond Olympian Brian Johns who also was an IM specialist. Both were honoured last November by Swim Canada when Reilly was named Junior Male Swimmer of the Year.
The award reflected his 400 IM performance at the FINA World Junior Championships in Dubai. He did it in a new national record time.
Johns was one of five coaches recognized for his work.
Back in February, Reilly helped the UBC Thunderbirds easily capture their third consecutive CIS national championship. The freshmen won the men's 400 metre IM (4:10/95), finishing nearly five seconds ahead of Toronto's David Reilly.
The UBC team also featured two other Richmond swimmers - Stefanie Serka and McKenzie Summers.
