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Newkirk excited for the future after successful Can Am Para-swimming Championships

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CANADIAN PARA-SWIMMING TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT TO FOLLOW

WINDSOR – When Newkirk’s on the block, she starts breaking records, stroke by stroke.

Not only did Shelby Newkirk lower the Canadian and Americas records in the S7 50-m and 100-m backstroke, but she also has the fastest time of any S7 swimmer this year, in both events.

Needless to say, the 2017 Speedo Can Am Para-swimming Championships was a successful meet for the Saskatoon native.

“I was really proud of how I raced,” she said, “There is definitely more room for improvement, but for now I’m really happy with how it all went.

“I’m really looking forward to what’s to come.”

Newkirk, 20, mentioned that her high intensity pacing in practice helped her prepare for her performances in Windsor, in addition to her dryland and visualization training out of the water.

“Remembering to focus on my own race, on what I can do in the water and not rushing, and focusing on that technique in the water, I think that really helps,” she said. “I did that in finals tonight, and it really helped from this morning.”

Vince Mikuska, Senior Coach of Swimming Canada’s Paralympic Program, was impressed with Newkirk’s swims, among several others.

“We’ve had some very good swims from the veterans on the team,” he said. “I was also looking for some upward push and movement from out NextGen swimmers, and we certainly saw that this weekend as well.”

Looking ahead to the Mexico City 2017 World Para Swimming Championships starting in September, Mikuska emphasized the importance of focusing on small changes that will have a long-term impact.

“We’re going to focus on trying to have everybody get better and something every day between now and then,” he explained, “and just trying to go into the meet and be competitive, and race as hard as we can.”

For now, Newkirk is simply grateful to have participated in the Can Am Championships, looking forward to what lies ahead.

“I’m so excited!” she exclaimed. “This has been a huge meet for me and a huge milestone.

“I’m really proud of how it all went, and I’m just so glad that I had this experience.”

CANADIAN PARA-SWIMMING TEAM,

2017 WORLD PARA SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS MEXICO CITY

WOMEN:

Morgan Bird Calgary, AB Cascade Swim Club Wendy Johnson
Tammy Cunnington Red Deer, AB Red Deer Catalina Masters / Centre de Haute Performance – Quebec Mike Thompson
Sabrina Duchesne St-Augustin de Desmaures, QC Rouge et Or Université Laval Johanne Giradin
Sarah Girard Montréal, QC Neptune Natation Jérémy Bruggeman
Justine Morrier Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC Club de natation du Haut Richelieu France Latendressse
Shelby Newkirk Saskatoon, SK Saskatoon Laser Swim Club Eric Kramer
Aurélie Rivard Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC Académie de Natation de Montréal Benoit Lebrun
Tess Routliffe Caledon, ON Club de Natation Torpille / Centre de Haute Performance – Quebec Mike Thompson
Katarina Roxon Kippens, NL Aqua Aces Swim Club Leonard Roxon
Abi Tripp Kingston, ON Kingston Y Penguins Swim Club Vicki Keith

MEN:

Jonathan Dieleman Telwa, BC Richmond Rapids Robert Pettifer
Alexander Elliot Kitchener, ON Region of Waterloo Swim Club Hans Witolla
Benoît Huot Longueuil, QC Académie de Natation de Montréal Benoit Lebrun
James Leroux Repentigny, QC Neptune Natation / Centre de Haute Performance – Quebec Mike Thompson
Nicolas Turbide Québec, QC Club Natation Region de Quebec Marc-André Pelletier
Philippe Vachon Blainville, QC Mégophias de Trois-Rivières Charles Labrie

DAY 3 RESULTS

Full results: https://results.swimming.ca/2017_Can_Ams/index.html

Gold Medallists:

MEN 150-M INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY

SM3: J. Castorena Velez, MEX

SM4: G. Sanchez Martinez, MEX

WOMEN 200-M INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY

SM5: Valerie Drapeau, NN

SM6: Sophia E. Herzog, USAR

SM7: Tess Routliffe, TORP

SM8: Julia K. Gaffney, HAK

SM9: Katarina Roxon, AASC

SM10: Ariann Hunsicker, SKSC

SM11: Letticia R. Martinez, USAR

SM13: Madeleine Babcock, BATS

SM14: Angela Marina, BRANT – New Canadian Record

MEN 200-M INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY

SM6: Zachary Shattuck, UN-MD

SM7: Evan R. Austin, USAR

SM8: J. Andrade Guillen, MEX

SM9: David H. Gelfand, WYW

SM10: Benoît Huot, ANM

SM13: Nicolas-Guy Turbide, CNQ – New Americas Record

SM14: Gordie Michie

WOMEN 50-M BACKSTROKE

S1: Breanna Sprenger, RYD

S3: H. Aceves Perez, MEX

S4: N. Miranda Herrera, MEX

S5: Valerie Drapeau, NN

S7: Shelby Newkirk, LASER – New Canadian & Americas Record

S8: Danielle Dorris, CNBO – New Canadian Record

S9: Katarina Roxon, AASC

S12: Aspen E. Shelton, FAST

S13: Gia N. Pergolini, GOLD

MEN 50-M BACKSTROKE

S4: G. Sanchez Martinez, MEX

S5: Danial Murphy, TCSC

S6: Nik Tolgyesi, KYPAC

S7: Caleb R. Cripe, NASA

S8: Chris Sergeanttsonos, KYPAC

S11: Robert Hampson, KYPAC

S12: Tucker A. Dupree, NTSC

S13: Nicolas-Guy Turbide, CNQ

S14: Tyson MacDonald, WRMS

WOMEN 200-M BACKSTROKE

S8: Abigail C. Gase, BGSC

S9: Gabby Baird, GMAC

S10: Skylar Tierney, BTSC

S12: Aspen E. Shelton, FAST

S13: Gia N. Pergolini, GOLD

S14: April Lam, OSC

MEN 200-M BACKSTROKE

S10: Matt Miller, SEALS

S14: Jesse Canney, FAST

WOMEN 100-M FREESTYLE

S1: Breanna Sprenger

S3: H. Aceves Perez, MEX

S4: N. Miranda Herrera, MEX – New Americas Record

S5: Valerie Drapeau, NN

S6: V. Lopez Gomez, JAL

S7: Shelby Newkirk, LASER

S8: Morgan Bird, CASC

S9: Michelle A. Konkoly, UNNT

S10: Aurélie Rivard, ANM

S11: Amber Thomas, NRST

S12: Aspen E. Shelton, FAST – New Americas Record

S13: Gia N. Pergolini, GOLD

S14: Angela Marina, BRANT

MEN 100-M FREESTYLE

S4: G. Sanchez Martinez, MEX

S5: Danial Murphy, TCSC

S6: Zachary Shattuck, UN-MD

S7: I. Esquivel Ramirez, JAL

S8: Philippe Vachon, MEGO

S9: David H. Gelfand, WYW

S10: Alexander Elliot, ROW

S11: Matthew Cabraja, COBRA

S13: Nicolas-Guy Turbide, CNQ

S14: Tyson MacDonald, WRMS

WOMEN 800-M FREESTYLE

S8: Ahalya Lettenberg, WSC

S9: Alyssia Crook, MLA

S14: Miori Henault, CASE – New Canadian Record

MEN 1500-M FREESTYLE

S9: Henri Coronado-Volta, CASC

S14: Jonathan Pierce, UN-LA

WOMEN 4X100-M MEDLEY RELAY

34 Points: Canada (Sliva, Roxon, Dorris, Tripp)

MEN 4X100-M MEDLEY RELAY

34 Points: Canada (Miller, McDonough, Zona, Sergranttsonos)

MIXED 4X100-M MEDLEY RELAY

56 Points: Canada (Bisset, Rousselle, Marina, Henault)