Edmonton, Alberta – Swim Alberta Athletes Shine at Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, Contributing to Canada’s Record Medal Haul
Alberta’s swimmers and coaches were instrumental in Canada’s outstanding performance at the 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, held at the Australian Institute of Sport Aquatic Centre in Canberra, Australia. Canada matched its best-ever medal total of 15 from the 2016 championships, with several Swim Alberta athletes and coaches contributing significantly to this achievement.
Matea Gigovic, Jordan Greber, Oliver Dawson, Parker Deshayes, Wells Ginzer, Nicholas Duncan, Laon Kim, and Aiden Norman represented Swim Alberta and their home clubs on the Swimming Canada team, delivering outstanding performances on the international stage. Among the top performers (individual swims) were:
Aiden Norman: A standout at the championships, Aiden claimed gold in the 100m & 200m backstroke, further solidifying his position as one of the top junior swimmers.
Laon Kim: Laon secured a bronze medal in the 100m freestyle, showcasing his speed and determination on the international stage.
Oliver Dawson: Oliver added to Canada’s medal tally with a bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke, highlighting his strength in breaststroke events.
These individual successes were complemented by strong relay performances during the meet, highlighted by the Men’s 4×100-metre medley relay team, which included an All Alberta line-up including Oliver Dawson, Aiden Norman, Nicholas Duncan and Laon Kim securing a silver medal on the final day of the championships. The team, , clocked a time of 3:36.13, finishing just behind Team USA.
“We are very excited to see the swimmers build on the 2023 World Junior Championship performances with the medal haul at the 2024 Pan Pacs,” added Shawn Holman, Executive Director of Swim Alberta. “Swim Alberta clubs continue to show Alberta plays a critical role in Swimming Canada’s athlete pathway.”
Two Alberta coaches were named to the Swimming Canada staff; Alex Dawson (Grande Prairie Piranhas Swim Club)/ Men’s Team Head Coach and Mike Meldrum (Killarney Swim Club)/ Coach. They were integral members of the Canadian coaching team, providing expert guidance and support throughout the championships. Their leadership played a crucial role in the success of Alberta’s swimmers, contributing to Canada’s overall success at the event.
Our strongest congratulations to them both for this professional recognition of their expertise.
“We have strong coaches in our Alberta programs. The opportunities that Swimming Canada provides our coaches not only supports our swimmers at these international events but also strengthens our system,” said Jackie Cool, Swim Alberta Director of Sport.
The Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, held every two years, bring together the best junior swimmers from Australia, USA, Canada, and Japan, along with invited non-European nations. The next edition will be hosted by the University of British Columbia Aquatic Centre in Vancouver from August 17-20, 2026.
Full results: [2024 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships](Full Results )
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