It's rare for an athlete to do something that makes everyone feel good, including the competition. When Canada's swimming team for the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games is officially decided today after a national judging process, it's sure to include a name that will bring a smile to many people's faces.
After overcoming many close calls, sentimental favorite Jeremy Bagshaw (Victoria) should finally make his Olympic debut this summer at the age of 32. The Island Swimming Club veteran is a multiple-time national champion in the 400m men's freestyle and has represented Canada at the Canadian Championships four times. He won the FINA World Championships, the Commonwealth Games twice, and won two medals at the Pan Am Games. However, Bagshaw has had many setbacks in national competitions, often losing by just a few hundredths of a second, and has yet to compete in the Olympics.
Bagshaw's fourth-place finish in the 200m freestyle at the competition is likely good enough to earn him a spot on Canada's men's 4×200 relay team for the Paris Olympics. The difference between fourth and fifth place was only four-hundredths of a second, but this time it was a close call and Bagshaw had the advantage.
“I'm very happy. It's been a long time coming,” Bagshaw said in a statement.
“I always had a dream of going to the Olympics. I went through some difficult times in my career as a swimmer, but I still believed that I could do it. I've been on the other side of it before to finally be able to put it together and put my hands on the wall, even if it's only by a few hundredths of a second. I'm very happy and grateful to be able to go there.”
The St. Michael's University graduate and Pac-12 medalist for the NCAA champion Cal-Berkeley Bears has excelled outside of the pool as well.
Bagshawe is a recent medical graduate from the University of Limerick in Ireland and is fluent in English, French and Mandarin.
The only thing missing is an Olympian label, which Bagshaw may add today.
“I just persisted and never gave up on my dreams,” he said.
“Now we just have to wait. [today] And see how the nominations unfold and what happens. ”
[email protected]
