Hard work does pay off when you are a swimmer

Alicia Boisson
South Peace News

In her first official year as a High Prairie Dolphin Nicole Peyre, 12, has proven to be quite the star swimmer. This year was one of many achievements for the young competitor, who discovered swimming after suffering from a knee injury in figure skating. These achievements came with hard work and goal setting. “Nicole works really hard to see results,” says Maryann Peyre, mother of Nicole. “Nicole sets goals and doesn’t stop until she reaches them. It’s not mandatory to attend all the practices, but Nicole, through out the season insisted on attending every one because she wanted to do well this year.” Nicole showed that hard work pays off when she competed in the Zone A Regional Swim Meet in Grande Prairie on August 11-12. Nicole competed in Girls 11 & 12 100 Freestyle and earned the time of 1:16:89 placing 1st; Girls 11 & 12 50 Backstroke earning the time of 41:19 placing 3rd; Girls 11 & 12 50 Freestyle earning the time of 34:03 placing 3rd and being Wildcard to Provincials; Girls 11 & 12 100 Individual Medley (IM)earning the time of 1:26:44 placing 2nd . Because of these great results Nicole not only qualified for two races but she was also wild carded into the 50 m Freestyle for her age group and chosen to race in two relays the 200 IM and the 200 Freestyle. In order to be wild carded into a race you have to win first or second in regionals. For each race 16 swimmers compete: 12 qualify and four more are chosen from the top times. To swim in a provincial relay, competitors have to be one of the top four swimmers in their age group in their region and Nicole, met all the criteria. “I set my goal to go to provincials and I did it, I know I am very athletic and competitive and I really like taking part in sports I really worked hard at it,” says Nicole adding she didn’t expect to take part in the relays. “I was really excited, but next year I hope that we have a bigger team to go to provincials with.” While Competing in the Alberta Summer Swimming Association Provincials August 18-19, Nicole competed in the Girls 11 & 12 100 Freestyle and earned the time of 1:12:61 placing 9th; Girls 11 & 12 100 IM earning the time of 1:29:00 placing 15th ; Girls 11 & 12 50 Freestyle earning the time of 33:70 placing 11th ; Girls 11 & 12 200 Individual Medley (IM) relay placing 1st in the province; Girls 11 & 12 200 Freestyle relay placing 5th in the province. “Two seconds can make a difference between first and 15th place,” says Maryann. “It is a very exciting sport.” “I have my eyes set on breaking the 100 Freestyle record in provincials and regionals next year,(the record is 1:04” says Nicole. “I plan to try and Swim three days a week doing lanes with other teammates. Next year I really hope more of us can go to provincials because it is a lot more fun to have your team there. I was really scared and nervous when I first got to provincials, and I wished I had had more of my teammates there.” With Provincials behind her, Nicole is sitting as 12th in the province in her age group out of over 272 other swimmers, and is looking forward to the school year where she will take part in more sporting events. Nicole says she owes her success to her coaches, her teammates and most of all, her parents because of all their support.

Copyright © 1999-2005 South Peace News. All Rights Reserved.
No part may be reproduced without written permission.

View our Privacy Statement.
Send website suggestions to the Webmaster