Into the deep end
Young Barracuda makes her way to a bigger pond
Hannah Esopenko has waded into new waters these days. The 12-year-old member of the Prince George Barracudas Swim Club has started training with the older club swimmers, like Sterling King and Haley Black, this season. “It’s just a really good feeling to be able to keep up with them because they’re so accomplished,” said Esopenko. “I guess it makes me stronger and more well-rounded of a swimmer.” Barracudas head coach Jerzy Partyka has started Esopenko practicing with the 13 and over group of swimmers once a day to ease her into the new routine before requiring her to attend the standard two practices a day.
“I’m kind of young to go day and night,” said Esopenko. “I don’t think Jerzy wants to wear me out too much. I think by the end of the year I might be doing the day and night.”
Esopenko competed in eight 12-and-under events at the annual Barracuda’s Fall Invitational short course meet last weekend while swimming a pair of relays with the 13- and-14-yearold swimmers. The Grade 7 student at Vanway Elementary took first place in seven of eight individual races and shared first place finishes in both relays, winning the agate title (total points) for 12 and under swimmers.
“I got two club records and I qualified another provincial time,” said Esopenko. “It was really good. I took off time in everything, except one event where, I think, I added a second.”
The club records Esopenko set were in the 100 metre individual medley with a time of one minute, 14.4 seconds (1:14.4) and in the 100m breaststroke, 1:20.23. Her only second place finish came in the 200m butterfly (2:44.12).
“I’m really happy that I [broke the records], especially the 100m IM because I’m pretty sure this is the last time I’ll swim it in a short course before I turn 13,” she said.
It was the second short course meet of the season for Esopenko. In October, she and some of the other Barracudas travelled to Prince Rupert where Esopenko swam what was the top time in all of Canada for 12-year-old girls for 14 days (Oct. 20 to Nov. 3) with a 2:54.00 in the 200m breaststroke.
“It’s hard to place the words because you just feel like really accomplished and really happy, especially coming from not a big town,” said Esopenko about the national recognition. “It’s really cool.”
Esopenko is currently ranked third in Canada in the 200m breaststroke, sixth in the 100m breaststroke and eighth in the 200m fly. In British Columbia she’s ranked first in the 100m breaststroke, second in 800m freestyle and third in 200m fly.
She’s already swam qualifying times to compete in six or seven events at the provincial championship next year in Victoria and it’s her goal to qualify for her second national meet. Last July, Esopenko took part in four races at the age-group nationals in Calgary, coming close to making the B final in the 200m breaststroke against about 70 competitors.
It’ll be tougher to qualify for the age group national event in 2013 because instead of meeting one time standard Esopenko will need to qualify in three events. It doesn’t faze her though.
“I like challenges because it’s not like it’s going to come easy to you,” said Esopenko. “You have to work for it.” Partyka said the work ethic Esopenko brings to the pool six days a week at practice is what allowed her to move from swimming at the lowest level to the highest in the last 12 months. “It’s not only in the time her improvement but also you can see improvement in her technical skills,” said Partyka. “She has another 10 years of swimming so if she’s going to be healthy and motivated she can go very far.” Right now, Esopenko said she has no plans to dry off until her ambitions are fulfilled. “I love competing; it’s really fun to me,” she said. “I want to swim for a long time and I want that to be like how I go to college or something.”