Aug 20, 2008 - 09:34 AM

Al Rivett

PICKERING -- Despite a dearth of medals for Canada at the Water Cube in Beijing, coaches with the two Durham Region swim clubs are heartened by the Canadians’ efforts and results in China.

Anne Ottenbrite, a decorated Olympic swimmer and age group coach with the Pickering Swim Club, and Matt Bell, the head coach at the Ajax Aquatic Club, note Canadian swimming is headed in the right direction, based on the Canucks’ performances in Beijing.

Ottenbrite notes all the positive signs point to a possible breakthrough in the pool for 2012 in London. All told, the 27 members of Canada’s Olympic swim team set 26 national records, reached 10 finals and swam 30 personal best times at the 2008 Olympics.

“I’m happy with everything,” said Ottenbrite, 42, who won three swimming medals for Canada at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games. “I think we’re on schedule for 2012. The long-term plan we had and the adjustments to the program we had over the past four years, we were aiming for 2012, so we were not sure we would see a lot of exciting things happen at these Olympics.

“When you don’t see medals, some people say ‘What’s wrong?’ ‘What’s going on?’ But, the difference between four years ago (in Athens) and now is pretty dramatic.”

Bell explained no Canadian swimmer in Beijing was ranked in the top-10 in their respective events coming into the Beijing Olympics, so there was no surprise that medals wouldn’t be in abundance. He believes several swimmers, however, exceeded beyond expectations.

“To me, to have Keith Beavers go from 28th (in the world) to seventh (in the 200-metre individual medley), that’s a huge swim. Annamay Pierse was sixth (200-metre breaststroke) in a world record time one-and-a-half years ago. Even Brian Johns finished seventh in 4.11 (400m I.M.), which was a world record pre-Michael Phelps,” said Bell, set to begin his third season at the helm of the Ajax Aquatic Club.

The numerous best times and Canadian records that have fallen in Beijing courtesy of the young Canadian swim team all point to the country’s re-emergence in the pool, said Ottenbrite.

“The thing that’s always bothered me is we go to an Olympics and not do best times. That’s one of my pet peeves. The heightened excitement should be enough to better their best times, even to duplicate their best times. This year has been an incredible turnaround. This time, there’s been lots of best times and more Canadian records and more final swims than we’ve ever had.”

Bell said the Canadian swim program has definitely improved since the lean times of four years ago in Athens.

“At Athens, it looked like we were 10 years behind the rest of the world. Now, in Beijing, we’re two years behind. In London, we should be in good shape.”

Ottenbrite especially gets excited when discussing B.C.’s Ryan Cochrane in the 1,500-metre freestyle, capturing Canada’s first Olympic swimming medals (a bronze) in eight years.

“He got up there and had no fear of (reigning Olympics champ in the event, Grant) Hackett and kicked butt. He annihilated his best time in the heats and to see him go to the final and really race was beautiful to see. He was really race savvy. He made the choice to switch his breathing patterns to out touch (a Russian swimmer) at the end.”

In fact, Ottenbrite rejoiced in the efforts of the number of Canadian swimmers, including Cochrane, who showed no fear when getting up on the starting blocks.

“It was really inspiring by what Ryan Cochrane achieved. He got in with no fear and I see that as something huge. At the last Olympics, I saw Canadians on the starting blocks and being afraid. To me, it’s an achievement in and of itself. I don’t like to see people looking afraid.”

Even though she says the tide is turning in Canadian swimming, she continues to be concerned about the state of swimming infrastructure in Ontario, noting the province has not kept up with others in providing facilities for its up-and-coming swimmers.

“I think, in general, I’m concerned in Ontario because they’re really letting the kids down,” said Ottenbrite. “Looking at Ontario and the numbers we have, people are not demanding facilities for these kids. I’m not just talking about swimming. We don’t have facilities for diving and water polo. Everyone’s fighting for pool time. And, when they build (a pool) they have a splash pad. That won’t get kids physically fit.”

Bell said more funding from the federal government to summer sports, including swimming, along with attracting at least one more internationally known coach to come aboard the Canadian program, would help Canadian swimmers in advance of the 2012 Olympics.