Chasing Excellence: The Road to Swimming Trials

Chasing Excellence: The Road to Swimming Trials

By Ashley Peterson 

As the excitement builds for the upcoming swimming trials this June, we’re diving into the inspiring stories behind the athletes in our Swimmer Spotlight series. Each feature takes you inside the journey of one of our dedicated swimmers—their beginnings in the sport, the challenges they've conquered and the ambitions driving them forward.

April Spotlight : Onna Okeke

What inspired you to start swimming?

“When I was younger, I was a figure skater and a swimmer. I had originally wanted to stick to figure skating, but I didn’t like that they made me wear a helmet. So, in the end, I decided to stick with swimming. I also didn’t have a lot of friends when I did figure skating, so I figured I would make more friends through swimming.”

What has been the biggest challenge in your training, and how did you overcome it?

“I think the biggest challenge in my training is finding motivation. It’s really hard to find the will to go to practice sometimes, especially on those early mornings. You have to perform to the best of your abilities all the time, and that can be really challenging. I used to go through the motions during practice, not really putting effort in, but a couple of years ago I decided that it was time I started trying. Now, I put all my effort into my practices, and I made it to trials!”

What is your favorite race and why?

“This is an easy answer - the 50 breaststroke is my favorite race! I like it because it’s fast and I feel like, for that short distance, I can put my whole heart and soul into that race. I also like it because it’s short, and I don’t do very well with long distance races. I also really like it because they recently added it into the Olympics, so people have been calling it a ‘real race.’

How do you mentally prepare for a big competition?

“Well, before a big competition, I don’t really prepare. Usually, I just jump in and swim it! To make sure I’m ready, I go and talk to Edit before my race. When I talk with her, we come up with a game plan for whatever I’m swimming. If I’m doing breaststroke, we usually talk about stroke rate and how many strokes I take per 50m. If I don’t talk to her, I find that I have no clue what I’m doing and I end up adding on a lot of time. She keeps me grounded and ready before my races!”

What are your goals for Swimming Trials?

“For trials, my main goal is to make finals. I think it would be very cool and rewarding to make it to the top. As per every race, I also want to make a best time. I’m hoping that I will do well at the national meet because what’s the point in going all the way there, just to do poorly on my race. However, I know it will be tough because it’s an open category.”

What advice would you give to younger swimmers aspiring to compete at this level?

“I would tell them to never give up on yourselves. I started in a group below! When I first joined the Stingrays, I was in the group below my age level, so I had to work even harder than all my peers to prove myself. I had to work so hard to show the coaches that I was good enough to be put into my regular group, and then once I was in that group, I had to constantly work hard to keep up with everyone else. Even if you’re not the best swimmer in the group, which I’ve experienced,  you can become the best swimmer there!”

With just two meets remaining, our trials qualifiers are gearing up for the big trip to Victoria to compete. From here on out, it’s all about focusing on race-specific work and fine-tuning every detail. With only four weeks until the highly anticipated taper begins, the excitement builds as the final stretch approaches. The hard work isn’t over yet, but we’re all in, ready to give it our absolute best.

That concludes this month’s Swimmer Spotlight featuring Onna. Thank you for sharing your story with us, and we’re cheering you on every step of the way as you head into the trials. Best of luck, Onna!