Mia Wittal is among the most promising athletes in Kamloops, pool pedigree and wunderkind status undeniable after results in January and February.
“She has so much potential,” Kamloops Classic Swimming head coach Shane Downey said. “I feel like we’re just starting to scratch the surface.”
Wittal, 12, set a provincial long course record in the 11- and 12-year-old girls’ division in January in Kelowna, posting a time of 28.67 seconds in the 50-metre butterfly.
The national record is held by generational talent and three-time Olympic champion Summer McIntosh — and Wittal is within fingertips of catching her.
McIntosh (28.64 seconds) holds the Canadian 50m fly record in the division, with a .03-second lead on second-place Wittal.
The Kamloops swimmer has until May 12 — the date on which she graduates from the age group — to catch McIntosh and is aiming to track her down at a meet in April in Kamloops.
“I think it would show me that I can make it to the Olympics,” Wittal said of setting the national record. “That’s my dream, so beating Summer McIntosh’s time could be a dream come true.”
Updating the Classics’ wall of records at the Canada Games Aquatic Centre is becoming tedious work.
Wittal set eight club marks and won nine medals – six gold, two silver and one bronze – at the Provincial Winter Swimming Championships in March in Victoria.
“I think it was the determination and dedication to the sport,” Wittal said when asked what pushed her to the medal haul. “I did not have any really good [preliminary] swims in the morning, but at night I wanted to win and I came out really happy.”
Wittal won gold in the 50m and 100m butterfly, gold in the 200m backstroke, gold in the 100m and 200m freestyle, gold in the 200m individual medley, silver in the 50m and 200m breaststroke and bronze in the 50m freestyle.
She trains about 11 times per week — nine practices in the pool and two dry-land sessions — and boasts natural gifts to augment work ethic.
“She’s got a fantastic swimmer’s build,” Downey said. “She’s taller for her age (about 5-foot-7) and, hopefully, there’s a little bit more to come (her father is 6-foot-7). That really helps with her overall wingspan, getting that good, long and strong catch.”
Wittal, Molly Brookes, Ryder Crichton (who set one club record in his age group), Maci Dixon, Quinn Meredith (who posted PBs in each of his three events), Sawyer Nabozniak, Elise Percy, Tenley Post and Dylan Steele of the Classics were among the nearly 700 swimmers in action at provincials.
They combined to tally 20 finals swims and 34 personal-best times.
“Our club did great,” Wittal said. “I think the future can be more people medalling, more people making finals, hopefully doubling the amount of people we had at provincials.”