Now back at the Max Bell Pool, Head Coach Peter Schori said he is proud of the work his team did.
He was also glad to see spectators back in the stands for the first time in a couple of years after the 2021 competition was cancelled.
“We had athletes that were first-year last year that expected to go to U SPORTS that didn’t, and so this year was their first year doing that. We had athletes at the other end of the spectrum that came back for a final year and extended their careers to go to one final U SPORTS championship, and then we had some people in between there. This, you know, on top of how well we did, it was, I would say, a uniquely rewarding experience because it was different and so well-deserved by all of them.”
Apollo Hess was the standout star of the Pronghorns swim team, not only taking home two gold medals and one silver, but setting two U SPORTS records in the 50-metre breaststroke.
“It went way better than I had ever imagined, so yeah, I couldn’t have done it without my teammates.”
Hess has been swimming with many of the same team members for several years, predating their time at the university.
He says multi-day events such as U SPORTS can be gruelling endeavours, so having a great team like his is essential to get through it. Seeing his teammates also finding success re-invigorated him and boosted his own confidence going into his events.
Managing stress for the athletes is a task coach Schori takes upon himself.
After nearly six weeks, the strike at the U of L came to an end on March 21, 2022. The prolonged uncertainty lead to a lot of anxiety for students and student-athletes, who were unsure of what their immediate futures held for them.
READ MORE: ULFA accepts new agreement, bringing an end to strike
Schori says the Pronghorns were able to keep training during this time, which he believes was beneficial for several reasons.
“I think this is one of those times when we recognize the importance of sports because it allowed these guys to keep some sort of structure in their life, and I think that was a real challenge for a lot of the students during that time. They maybe got a tiny bit more rest than they might have otherwise, but the rest versus some of the stresses around that I think they even out.”
Hess says the Pronghorns swimmers spend about 21 hours per week in the pool between 11 sessions, as well as time in the gym doing weights.
The seven swimmers now gear up for the 2022 Bell Canadian Swimming Trials in Victoria, B.C., taking place April 5-10, 2022.
Through events such as these, Hess hopes he can work his way toward qualifying for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
READ MORE: U of L swimmers win five medals, set records at national championships
