HANGZHOU, China – Team Canada will have an opportunity to gain international experience racing some of the world’s best at the FINA World Championships (25m).

The world short-course championships run from Monday through Sunday in Hangzhou, China. Preliminary heats are at 8:30 p.m. ET, with finals set for 5:30 a.m. ET.

Canada has sent a group of six swimmers to the 2018 championships. The team includes Alex Loginov, Alexandre Perreault, Sophie Angus, Haley Black, Aela Janvier, and Ingrid Wilm.

This young team will be focused on using the competition as a learning opportunity in the lead up to next year’s international competitions and on to Tokyo 2020.

“We are looking for these swimmers to gain valuable experience at the senior international level,” said Martyn Wilby, Swimming Canada’s senior coach for the Olympic program. “Hopefully this meet will be a springboard for them to be part of one of the three international teams that will be selected to represent Canada this summer.”

Canada will be selecting swimmers at the 2019 Canadian Swimming Trials in Toronto in April. Next year’s international teams include the long-course FINA World Championships taking place in Gwangju, Korea, the FINA World Junior Championships, in Budapest, Hungary, and the FISU Summer Universiade Games in Naples, Italy.

Veteran Alex Loginov, of Toronto, has previous senior international experience and will be looked to for leadership at the world short-course championships. Loginov was a member of the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games team where he was a finalist in the 50-m freestyle. He also competed at the 2017 FINA World Championships in Budapest and the 2017 FISU Games in Taipei.

Loginov is not the only member of the team with previous international experience. Alexandre Perreault, of Ottawa, and Ingrid Wilm, of Vancouver, were members of the 2016 Junior Pan Pacific Championships team that took place in Maui, Hawaii.

Aela Janvier, of Pointe-Claire, Que., will use the momentum of her successful 2018 season to help her compete at her first international competition. Janvier won four individual medals at the 2018 Speedo Eastern Championships and a bronze medal in the 200-m backstroke at the 2018 Canadian Swimming Trials, touching behind Kylie Masse and Kennedy Goss.

For more information about the competition: http://www.fina.org/event/14th-fina-world-swimming-championships-25m-2018