By Marissa Tiel
A Kelowna swimmer will continue her career south of the border next fall. Axana Merckx signed her letter of intent with the University of Arizona Wildcats last week.
Even though her freshman year is months away, the 17-year-old is looking forward to her collegiate swimming career.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 definitely excited to train with great athletes,害羞草研究所� says Merckx, currently a senior at Aberdeen Hall Preparatory School.
While looking for universities, Merckx got in contact with the Wildcats swimming program害羞草研究所檚 head coach, Augie Busch.
害羞草研究所淚 instantly fell in love with the program and everything he was talking about,害羞草研究所� she says.
She had been looking at a number of schools south of the border, but after a late September visit to the Tucson campus, she knew she害羞草研究所檇 found the right fit.
害羞草研究所淚 just fell in love with Arizona and I didn害羞草研究所檛 need to look any further,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 really grateful for the head coach, Augie, and the rest of the team for being so welcome and open to me and I害羞草研究所檓 really looking forward to being a Wildcat.害羞草研究所�
Merckx will be studying international relations in the fall with plans to attend law school.
She was born in Belgium, so she害羞草研究所檒l be able to choose between competing for Canada or for her birth country at the Olympics, which she hopes to attend in 2024. Paris will be the host of those Games and she may follow in her father害羞草研究所檚 footsteps. Cyclist Axel Merckx won a bronze medal for Belgium at the 2004 Athens Olympics in the road race. Her grandfather, Eddy, is widely considered to be the greatest cyclist of all time, with 525 victories to his name.
But Merckx doesn害羞草研究所檛 just get her athletic genes from her father害羞草研究所檚 side, her mother, Jodi Cross competed at a high level in triathlon and cycling. Merckx says that her parents are her inspiration and her role models.
害羞草研究所淭hey know what it takes to become an athlete and they are so supportive and so understanding,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e always there and always have my back.害羞草研究所�
Merckx害羞草研究所檚 younger sister Athina is also an athlete; she competes in soccer and swimming.
Merckx, who specializes in the individual medley and backstroke events, began swimming competitively 10 years ago. Her family moved to Kelowna in 2007 and she joined the Kelowna AquaJets.
害羞草研究所淭hroughout these years I害羞草研究所檝e learned a lot about myself and my capabilities,害羞草研究所� she says.
Individual medley, her speciality, combines all four strokes into one event.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a lot harder than it sounds,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淛ust because you switch strokes doesn害羞草研究所檛 make it any easier.害羞草研究所�
Merckx spends time with the younger athletes in the club. 害羞草研究所淭hey look up to me in a way and I really want to be a role model for them,害羞草研究所� she says.
The competitive swimming season started a few months ago and Merckx is on track for a successful year.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e definitely been happy, but not overly happy,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 definitely where I was last year, and I have set some pretty lofty goals for this season.害羞草研究所�
Among them, Merckx is aiming to hit some target times set by Swimming Canada that would show she害羞草研究所檚 on track for the Olympics. She favours longer events that offer a chance for her endurance to shine. She is the 2018 B.C. Provincial Long Course 400-metre IM champion, short course 100-metre backstroke champion and the short course 200-metre backstroke champion.
Merckx害羞草研究所檚 next competition will be mid-December, when she joins the B.C. provincial team in Toronto for the Ontario Junior International Swim Meet.
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