Moose Jaw -
For five days, Moose Jaw's Krystal Shaw was totally immersed in swimming.
The Moose Jaw Kinsmen Flying Fins swimmer attended three-and-a-half days of intensive training for Swimmers With A Disability (SWAD) in Montreal. Afterwards she took part in the two-day DÉfi-sportif Classique de Natation. She won all three of her races in personal best times.
"Her performance was outstanding," said Flying Fins coach Monty Smith. "Coaches from all across Canada were complimenting Krystal on her form and technique. They were impressed with how serious she was in the water."
The swimmers were only allowed to do three events. Shaw won the 50 metre free and put up a best time of 44.78 seconds. She won the 100m fly and in a best time of 2:38.18, an eight second improvement on her personal best. She won the 100m free and posted a best time of 1:40.13.
"Some of her best performances that I've ever seen were in this camp," said Smith.
She earned them. The camp featured long days and a lot of information both in the water and in workshop session.
"We're talking days that started at five in the morning and with our time change it was like three in the morning and going until eight or nine at night," said Smith. "It was very intense.
"The whole idea was to get these kids ready for the Paralympics."
Shaw felt that that atmosphere helped her put up strong times in the pool.
"I think the coaching there and all of the practicing - the four hours a day - really helped," said Shaw, who is a Grade 9 student at Pecaock.
"I learned a lot. I'm stronger with my kicking now."
Smith was proud of the attitude of the 15-year-old swimmer and the way she worked in training.
"Being in a wheelchair, as part of the camp one of the things they had to do was a 200m flutter kick or a dolphin kick," said Smith. "Krystal took on the challenge to still kick and to move her body. She wouldn't say 'I can't do it.' She worked hard and pushed herself."
There was a lot of information geared for elite athletes in the workshop sessions.
"The work camp was made up of different workshops with swimmers in one part and coaches in another," said Smith. "Krystal learned about development, being an athlete, training, sport psychology, eating and diet - everything you can imagine."
Shaw has a big meet coming up this weekend as the trials for the provincial team for the Jeux du Canada Summer Games in Prince Edward Island will be held in Regina.
There will be more than a hundred swimmer looking to earn a spot at the Games. There are 24 spots for able bodied swimmers - a dozen for each gender - and four SWAD and four Special Olympic spots up for grabs.
Shaw has competed for Team Sask at the Western Canada Summer Games in 2007 and would love to add a Canada Games to her resume.
"She'll have to work hard, but she has that drive in her. When she wants something she goes after it," said Smith.
Matthew Gourlie can be reached at 691-1260
