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Medicine Hat swimmer Rowynn Biffart raced at the Canada Olympic Trials May 13-19 in Toronto.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Rowynn Biffart made her debut at the Canada Olympic Trials last weekend and is already looking forward to getting back there.
The 15-year-old Medicine Hat swimmer was in five races at the Olympics Trials in Toronto from May 13-19, racing against Canada’s top swimmers vying for their spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Biffart says it was a unique experience getting to race against and meet the slate of Olympians.
“I got to meet a lot of amazing people, I got to meet many Olympians, get their autographs and pictures taken with them, which was very great,” Biffart said.
She was able to meet Canada’s best swimmers in Penny Oleksiak, Rebecca Smith, Mary Sophie Harvey, Kylie Masse and others. Biffart has long looked up to Oleksiak, Canada’s most decorated Olympian.
Oleksiak donated to a GoFundme that was organized to get Biffart to the 2022 Canadian Junior Swimming Championships in Montreal. Getting to meet her idol was a highlight of the week.
“I was very excited to finally get to meet her in person,” Biffart said. “I got to talk to her as well.”
In the pool, Biffart had six races: 50m Free (placed 83rd open, 47th junior), 100m Fly (50th open, 32nd junior), 100m Breast (56th open, 29th junior), 100m Back time trial (31st open), 200m Breast (39th open, 20th junior) and the 200m IM (58th open, 41st junior).
She finished around her usual race times, with a new personal best in the 100m Fly. Navigating the intensity and stress of the Olympic trials added to the challenge – an experience she is grateful for.
“It’s very exciting to race like super-duper fast people and have somebody to really chase,” Biffart said. “It’s incredible to watch it as well; fast swimming, records getting broken and everything.”
Biffart donned her Alberta Marlin Aquatic Club swimmers cap in all her races and felt the cheers from her local club all the way in Toronto.
“I got a lot of support from my teammates, friends and family supporting me,” Biffart said.
“Biffart showed tremendous heart and determination throughout the competition,” said Jordan Harper, her coach with AMAC. “She has made tremendous progress, and we’re excited to see her continued growth and success in the future.”
Her mom Rochelle was in attendance for the week and marvelled every time she saw her daughter sharing the pool deck with Canada’s Olympians.
“It was awesome, the whole experience, the whole vibe, the setup,” Rochelle said. “Just looking down seeing her on deck, walking around on deck with Olympians and watching these kids breaking records and making records and them all supporting each other. It was pretty incredible. It was a very special experience, I’m very proud.”
Next up for Biffart is the Canadian Summer Nationals back in Toronto from July 24-30.
It’ll be a different atmosphere than the Olympics trials, which won’t be held again until 2028 in preparation for the next Summer Olympics to be held in Los Angeles.
Biffart already has that meet circled in her mind as 2028 calendars aren’t yet in production.
“I’m really looking forward to it, I had so much fun at the Olympic trials, so I’m excited for the next one to come,” Biffart said. “Now I have an idea of what it’s like and I can really just prepare for it.”
