By Brendan McConnell
While most new high school graduates spend their first summer of freedom relaxing and celebrating their achievement, Ottawa swimmer Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson is using the time to prepare for her trip to Barcelona for the senior FINA world swimming championships starting on July 28.
Her Grade 12 year was eventful, to say the least, one that saw her win five individual medals at the New South Wales swimming championships in Australia and receive an invitation to the prestigious University of British Columbia swim team, all, of course, while juggling her academics and prom.
“It’s been a little hectic,” says Seltenreich-Hodgson, who will compete in her first major senior international meet at FINA’s pinnacle event. “I haven’t gotten much sleep recently, so I’m glad that school is over so I can finally get naps.”
Seltenreich-Hodsgon will be competing in the 200- and 400-metre individual medley in Barcelona and is hoping to at least make a second round appearance. At just 18 years old, both her and Greater Ottawa Kingfish coach Claude-Yves Bertrand view this meet as more of a learning experience than a medal quest.
“This is my first senior international championship, so I’m hoping to just wet my feet, so to speak,” says the 2011 world junior 200 m IM bronze medalist. “I’d really like to make a ‘B’ final in 200 IM and then maybe an ‘A’ final.”
Seltenreich-Hodgson is a rare breed. Ottawa hasn’t exactly been a hotbed of national- or international-level talent in swimming, but the long-time Nepean-Kanata Barracudas club member rose through the sport’s local programs into a blossoming Olympic hopeful.
Seltenreich-Hodgson wasn’t far off claiming a spot for the London 2012 Games as a 16-year-old. She knocked an astonishing eight seconds off her personal-best time in the 400 m IM at the Canadian Olympic team trials and placed fourth in the 200 m IM as well, just 1.61 seconds away from first place in two minutes, 14.39 seconds.
Seltenreich-Hodgson won the 200 m IM at this year’s Canadian world championships trials to secure her place on the Barcelona team, but despite all these laurels, her coach is quick to temper expectations as she takes on the world’s best at the biggest event of the year.
“For her, it’s a first experience,” emphasizes Bertrand, also the uOttawa Gee-Gees coach. “So she needs to learn to deal with probably 25,000 people watching, traveling with the national team, and all the things surrounding a bigger event.”
Once Seltenreich-Hodgson gets used to the larger international stage, Bertrand adds, that’s when she’s really going to be able to show what she’s made of.
“Everything is open for her if she progresses like she should – if she gets a bit stronger, a bit faster, a bit older, and a bit wiser,” Bertrand predicts. “I think she can get to Rio, and on top of that make a final.”
University, Olympics on Mind
That’s exactly what Seltenreich-Hodgson says she intends to focus on over the next three years leading up to Rio 2016 with her new team at UBC.
“I’m excited,” says the John McCrae Secondary School grad. “I’m really looking forward to getting to try out the really intensive training program they have there and see how it benefits me. I’m definitely hoping to get stronger and more endurance. That will help me in longer races and with finishing.”
When deciding where to go for university, Seltenreich-Hodgson was torn between a number of schools in the U.S. and UBC’s national team training centre, but decided to stay on home soil because of the rapport she developed with the team and coaching staff.
“Overall it was because I felt really comfortable with the team and the coaches and I felt like I made a really good connection with them,” explains the Vancouver-bound athlete. “I also really like the weather there and it just has a really good reputation for swimmers.”
Lasting Local Impression
Back home in Ottawa, however, Bertrand predicts her legacy will leave an indelible mark on local swimmers – one that will motivate them to strive for their own spot on the international swimming stage.
“It really puts a spotlight on the sport and on her,” Bertrand highlights. “For this city, it’s pretty good to have someone go to the world championships, and it can make younger swimmers dream.
“It only takes one swimmer to make the others believe.”
Former Ottawa resident Ashton Baumann will also make his senior worlds debut in Barcelona.