Little sister makes big splash

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/12/2009 (6025 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There’s another Vanlandeghem beginning to make waves at the Pan Am Pool.

Tia, the younger sister of Chantal, appears headed down the same path as her sibling, if this weekend’s Prairie Winter International meet is any indication.

For those who are unfamiliar with Tia’s big sister, Chantal is one of Canada’s brightest stars on the swimming horizon. At 15 years of age, she has already taken swimming giant Australia by storm, when she won several medals at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival, Australian Age Championships and Speedo Western Championships, where she also set two Canadian records.

In Australia, the older Vanlandeghem won gold in the 100-metre butterfly (1:00.92), and four silver medals in the 50 freestyle (26.30), 100 backstroke (1:03.13), 4×100 freestyle 3:39.99 and 4×100 medley (4:12.26).

But this weekend belonged to 13-year-old, 6-foot-2, Tia.

Tia grabbed four gold medals, two silver and three bronze at the meet which began Thursday and wound up Sunday.

Her gold medal performances came in the girls 13-14, 200-metre freestyle relay along with Dania Delaquis, Jane MacDougall and Breanne Siwicki (1:54.79), 50 backstroke (2:05.00). Tia, Delaquis, Siwicki and Jane MacDougall also teamed up for a gold medal in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:54.79, and in the 200 medley relay, Vanlandeghem, Siwicki, Delaquis and Chantal Asselin teamed up for gold in 2:05.00.

Tia won silver medals in the 50 freestyle (27.63), and the 100 backstroke (1:08.69).

Bronze medals came by way of the 200 backstroke (2:28.12), 200 freestyle (2:12.10) and the 400 freestyle (4:38.55).

"I think I started to swim with Manta when I was five," she said after qualifying Sunday in the 100-freestyle. "But me and my sister both started swimming, just playing in the water, at a really young age, so swimming just became the sport for us.

"My sister and my family have been a huge inspiration for me," Tia added. "Without them, and my teammates, none of this could have happened for me."

"We have big hopes for her," said her Manta coach Szilvie Carriere. "Chantal was a whole lot faster than Tia at her age, so she has a little bit of catching up to do. But she’s on her way and will probably make the national team pretty soon."

In contrast, Chantal had only one gold and one bronze heading into Sunday’s finals. She teamed up with Renee Deschenes, Camille Dixon and Jessica Plant to win the 15-older 200 medley relay, and finished third in the 400 freestyle (4:38.58).

Swimming under the shadow of her sister and her achievements, doesn’t bother Tia in the least. "No (I don’t get nervous). I’ve been swimming for quite a while, so nerves just aren’t the case."

allan.besson@freepress.mb.ca