‘It feels very right’

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/07/2024 (406 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PARIS — A decorated international swimming career nurtured in Winnipeg’s pools will have its grand finale on the Olympic stage as Kelsey Wog readies for her last races at the Paris La Defense Arena.

The 25-year-old, two-time Olympian will retire following the Summer Games, but not before she grinds to the final of the 200-metre breaststroke, set for Thursday at the cavernous swimming venue in the Paris suburb of Nanterre.

“Honestly, it feels very right,” Wog said, reflecting on her decision to bid adieu to elite competition from the bustling athlete’s village just north of the city. “I feel like I’ve done everything I possibly could have in my sport career, and I don’t think continuing and doing another year or another quad would do myself any justice.”

Over her decade-long run she’s earned a lot of hardware, most recently adding a silver from the 2023 Pan Am Games with Team Canada to her collection and finishing the 200-metre breaststroke in second place at the Canada Olympic Swimming Trials in May with a time of 2:23.80. She was a fraction a second behind teammate Sydney Pickrem.

The goal in Paris is to race in the final, Wog said. It would improve on her performance at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, where she reached the semifinals but was disqualified for using a dolphin kick.

She’ll have to earn her lane by advancing through the heats and semis on Wednesday. It would mark a major accomplishment for the University of Manitoba Bisons alumna and boost the already rising momentum behind Team Canada, which has won two swimming medals over six final appearances in three days.

“I’m happy with the work I’ve put in in training and my goal is to just execute what I’ve been training for,” Wog said.

Unlike Tokyo, which was closed to spectators due to COVID-19 restrictions, Wog is also looking forward to having her parents in the crowd to cheer on her Olympic farewell.

“After I touch the wall, I won’t be able to see them in the stands because there’s so many people, but it’s going to be so nice knowing that they’re up there cheering for me.” she said. “It’ll be really fun to have them there.”

She’ll need to tune out that roaring crowd in the roughly 15,000-seat arena, race with confidence and “dance like nobody’s watching” to reach the final, said coach Vlastimil Cerny. The pressure of meeting expectations at international meets has been a challenge in the past, but Cerny said together the pair has made strides.

“As long as she can stay present and not think about the past, not thinking about the future, and not racing with judgment, then she can be very competitive,” said Cerny, who is also a Canadian Olympic swimmer, having competed at Seoul 1988. The long-time U of M swimming head coach also took Team Canada athletes to three past Olympics (Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Tokyo 2020).

Cerny has been a constant throughout Wog’s university and national team career since she committed to the U of M in 2015 in her senior year of high school. He’s since been on the pool deck for her at world championships, Pan American Games, Pan Pacific Championships, and now two Olympics.

The veteran coach said he’s grateful for the nearly decade-long journey, and for Wog’s choice to pursue swimming close to home. The secret to their longevity? It was built on trust, familiarity, and open communication, Cerny said.

A bit of friction over the years hasn’t hurt either, Wog added.

“I’ve trusted him that he knows what’s best for me,” she said. “Of course we have our arguments and disagreements here and there, like anybody would if you see the same person for four hours a day for 10 years.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Thursdays

Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.

Sign up for Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

“But I think those conflicts that we have made us better, and we understand each other a bit more and how each other works,” Wog said.

As for Wog’s looming retirement, Cerny said he’s excited for her final races in Paris, but the emotions that will follow when it’s all over are anyone’s guess.

“She made me a better coach and a better person as well. It goes hand in hand. You cannot separate the sport from who you are, so in order to push further and improve you’re going to have to look in the mirror,” he said.

“That’s been probably the biggest benefit for me as a coach and as a person.”

Heats for the women’s 200-metre breaststroke begin July 31 at 11 a.m. in Paris, 4 a.m, (CT). Semifinals are set for 2:51 p.m. (CT). Finals are scheduled on Aug. 1 at 2:04 p.m. (CT).