Winnipegger Kelsey Waugh is swimming for her 2nd Olympics

Winnipegger Kelsey Waugh admits the sun is setting on her swimming career, but she has plenty of sun left as she prepares for her second Olympics later this summer.

The 25-year-old qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics by finishing second in the women's 200m breaststroke final at the recent Olympic and Paralympic swimming events in Toronto. She finished with a time of 2:23.80, the second-straight 100 of event winner Sydney Pickrem.

“I never dreamed that I would call myself a two-time Olympian, or even a one-time Olympian,” Vogue said. “I'm very grateful to have been able to cover two Olympic cycles and look forward to representing Team Canada.”

Her recent success, in addition to swimming trials, includes a silver medal in the 200m breaststroke at the 2023 Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile.

Vaughn said he expects a very different atmosphere in Paris compared to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which has been severely affected by COVID-19 restrictions.

“I'm really excited to be able to experience the whole Olympic experience again, this time with the people in the stands and watching the other athletes and being able to be a bit more hands-on.” than the last time,” he said.

Vog's trainer, Vlastik Cerny, also said that he hopes to have some fun this time around.

“I think he didn't enjoy the moment last time, so that's what we're aiming for, so I'm looking forward to him performing to the best of his ability,” he said.

“Obviously, there's going to be stress – everybody's going to have pressure – because the Olympics only come once every four years. You train for it for a long time and you want to look your best.”

“It's not just the performance, it's the cerebral part of being an athlete,” said Cerny, who is no stranger to the Olympics, having competed once as an athlete and now as a coach for the fourth time.

“It's day-in and day-out and not every day is fantastic, but you want to bounce back quickly from a workout that didn't go as well as you wanted, and it's always about the next one. What was the lesson and what's next,” he said.

He said Waugh had worked hard since the Tokyo Games, where he failed to qualify for the 100m breaststroke and was disqualified in the 200m breaststroke semi-finals for using a dolphin kick.

“It's been tough, (the) three years since the pandemic,” he said. “But he … loves the sport and he persevered and got the job done when it mattered.”

“Like a Fish in Water”

Cerny sees the upcoming games as a culmination of hard work and growth for Waugh, who he and other coaches have worked with for years.

“He's like a fish in water and … the first time I saw him push off the wall when he was nine years old, I recognized that achievement,” he said. “But he's learned to train hard, he can train with the best in the world and he's competed with the best in the world. It's what he's worked for.”

Vogue's journey to Paris continues at the University of Manitoba, where she will train throughout the summer. And he hopes the training will lead to some Olympic gear.

“I know I'm finishing my career and an Olympic year is a great year to finish. I just wanted to make sure I finished my career on a high,” he said.

“And I really believe I'm working in that direction.”