Ellen Clark, Jialin Li ready to make a splash

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This article was published 09/02/2024 (587 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Ellen Clark is ready to make a splash in the Sportslex pool when she puts on her goggles and swim cap for the three-day Manitoba Open winter junior provincials short course meet.

Clark and her teammates begin competition today after opening ceremonies, with races starting at 4 p.m.

Now 15, Clark has been a member of the Brandon Bluefins Swim Club for eight years. The Grade 10 student from Elton has seven races on her schedule, however, she had to scratch two including her favourite 200m individual medley (IM).

“My best strokes are breast and fly because it feels smooth when I’m in the pool, like I’m in control of what I’m doing,” she said during a break from a Wednesday night practice. “My favourite is the 200 IM because I can combine all of the strokes, especially breast and fly.”

While some might think swimming lengths during practice might be arduous under the tutelage of veteran Bluefins coach Barb Fay, not for Clark. She finds the workouts relaxing, and training to compete builds up her confidence.

“I know I’m good at what I do (in the pool),” Clark said. “It’s all you when you compete, you are in control of what you are doing, and it’s just you focusing on what you are doing in your lane.”

Clark acknowledged not everyone finishes first or top three on the medal podium, but that’s all right when you look at your time and discover you swam a personal best.

The teenager, who has a busy schedule with Grade 10 homework, swim practice, plus two jobs — she’s a barista, plus coaches young Bluefins every Friday at the pool — uses her swim time as a de-stressor.

“I know how to balance my week with swim, school and work, and being in the pool allows me to work out and get rid of any anger or stress I might have from the day,” she said.

While she’s been dedicated to the pool, she did try hockey for two winters in Rivers, as well as show jumping on horseback. But the call of the water kept her coming back, while she put away her skates and stick, and now just goes horseback riding.

Unlike hockey or soccer, she said swimming is only a team sport when you are calculating points from all swimmers to award a team trophy after a competition.

“I wanted to play a physical sport when I tried hockey,” she recalled. “But my preference is swimming where I have to put in the work here if I want to have success.”

Does Clark have any goals for the pool this weekend after she already qualified for junior provincials?

Clark said she wants to swim AA times which will qualify her for the ManSask inter-provincial swim meet being held in Saskatoon hosted by the Goldfins Swim Club from March 7 to 10. She’s also looking to improve on past PBs.

While oatmeal is her food of choice prior to swimming, at swim meets Clark cannot have a full belly going into the pool. She’s not fixated on swim-specific nutrition now, so she will consume oranges and energy gel during the competition.

With two more years of high school, Clark wants to earn a university swim scholarship so she can combine competitive swimming with academics. She wants to earn a bachelor of science, then head east to Prince Edward Island to enrol in a veterinary program.

Until then, she will continue to proudly wear her Bluefins swim cap and represent Brandon in the pool.

Teammate Jialin Li has similar aspirations in the pool this weekend. The Grade 8 Riverheights student has been swimming since age five, but did try hockey, too. When it comes to other sports, he likes the competitive nature of basketball and racquetball.

“I’m looking to make AA times for this meet,” he said. “It’s not going to be easy, but I’m close … I aged up to U13 this year, so there are a lot more competitive swimmers in my age group, so it will be a big challenge for me.

“My best chance is in my favourite, the 50-metre free race. Swimming is about mindset, so if you believe you can do (it), then I can do it. When I’m in the pool for practice I try to visualize the pacing I’m going to use in a race.”

Li also has his 10-year-old brother Colin to train alongside, as they share a lane during practice.

Born in China, Li has the same aspirations a lot of kids have when they take up a sport. He watches the Summer Olympics, and the swim competition especially.

“My specialty as a swimmer is the freestyle and breast strokes,” he offered. “When I get older and I’m still swimming, I would like to reach the Olympics one day.”

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