NicolsetforCommonwealthGames

Lethbridge’s Rachel Nicol is putting in the laps in Australia.

The Canadian national team swimmer and Olympian is in the Gold Coast, Australia for the Commonwealth Games beginning today.

Nicol will be competing in the 50m and 100m breaststroke at this year's games, which run until April 15.

The Olympics do not host the 50m breaststroke, but with the event in the Commonwealth Games, Nicol will compete in both distances.

Nicol, who turned 25 in February and currently resides in Dallas, left for Australia March 20 for the team’s staging camp and as one of the veteran swimmers is also acting as one of the team’s captains.

The team arrived at the Commonwealth village on the weekend for final preparations for the competition ahead.

At the Rio Summer Olympics in 2016, Nicol was fifth in the 100m breaststroke and fifth in the 4x100m medley relay.

In 2015, Nicol competed at the Pan American Games where she won bronze in the 100m breaststroke and silver in the 4x100m medley relay.

That same year, Nicol swam at the FINA World Championships, where she placed 11th in the 100m breaststroke and sixth in the 4x100m medley relay.

The women's 50m breaststroke goes Friday with the 100m breaststroke taking place Monday.

Submitted photo Lethbridge native Rachel Nicol will be representing Canada in swimming events at the Commonwealth Games in Australia this month.