After placing sixth in the 150 metre freestyle event in Rio, an Olympic swimmer is making their way to Grande Prairie. Ryan Cochrane will be at the Eastlink Centre this fall to share his swimming methods and techniques with local athletes.
President of the Grande Prairie Piranhas Swim Club Jennifer Metituk says it is an opportunity athletes in the city don’t usually get.
“Our swimmers up here, and athletes in general in Grande Prairie, can be sometimes pretty distant from some of the opportunities other athletes might get from living in a bigger centre. It is a real win to have him come here and really work one-on-one with the athletes.”
She adds that Cochrane may have been disappointed in his finish in Rio but that doesn’t stop the kids from being inspired.
“The kids don’t care about that. They just see someone who is successful and 1 per cent of the kids will ever make it to that level. Most of the kids who are in the pool won’t make it to that level but it doesn’t matter. They can be inspired anyway.”
The sessions will be take place in half-day parts on October 16th. They are aiming to accept ages between 8 to 15 while allowing parents to stay and watch as well. The cost is $90 per athlete.