The 2^nd FINA World Junior Swimming Championships began on Tuesday in Monterrey, Mexico. Swimming Canada fielded a twenty four member team comprised of twelve girls and twelve boys and included BC members Alexandra Gabor of the Whitehorse Glacier Bears, Chelsey Salli of the Langley Olympians, Michael Cai of the HYACK swim club and James McQuade from the West Vancouver Otters. Marek Poplawski, Head Coach of the Whitehorse Glacier Bears, is part of the coaching staff of this national competition team.

Michael Cai (HYACK) set a new BC Provincial Record in the 15-17 category during the semi-finals of the 100m Breast. Cai, who qualified to the semi-finals in the 100m Breast in seventh place with a time of 1:03.37, went on to erase the previous record which was set by UBC Dolphin Matthew Huang at the 2000 Olympic Trials in 1:02.98 earning Huang a spot on the 2000 Olympic team at the age of 16. Michael Cai inched in just three hundredths under the record with 1:02.95 placing fourth in the semis. During finals Cai was just shy of his newly minted BC Record finishing in sixth place overall with 1:03.03.

Chelsey Salli (LOSC) qualified for the semi-finals in both the 50m Breast and 100m Breast events. Salli posted a time of 32.88 in the 50m Br heats, and further improved upon this performance in the semi-finals finishing in a time of 32.58 for 10^th place. Amanda Reason from Windsor, Ontario set a new Canadian record during the semi-finals of the women’s 50m Breast in a time of 31.25, replacing the previous record set by BC’s Annamay Pierse at the Dutch Open in December. In the 100m Breast Chelsey Salli was just shy of her Provincial record during heats touching the wall in 1:10.74, and placed 12^th in the semi-finals with 1:11.02.

In the 4 x 200 Free Relay the women’s Canadian team, led by Alexandra Gabor (WGB), picked up the bronze medal with 8:10.08 while Great Britain won the silver medal and the USA won the gold medal. Combined team scores at the conclusion of tonight’s events find Canada in second place with 173.5 points behind the USA who have 247.5 points. Complete results from the World Youth Champs can be found here.