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Sylvan Lake swimmer nabs Olympic Trial time

Matthew Gauthier, 20, reached a qualifying time in the 50 metre breast stroke earlier this month
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Matthew Gauthier’s Thompsons Rivers University WolfPack headshot. Photo Submitted.

A Sylvan Lake native swam his way to an Olympic Trial time in White Rock, B.C. earlier this month.

Matthew Gauthier, 20, reached a qualifying time in the 50 metre breast stroke at the PSW Winter Invitational, although he says he will not be going to the Olympic Trials in Toronto, Ont. for the event in the spring.

“The event I qualified in isn’t offered at the Olympic Trials because it is not an Olympic event,” said Gauthier, adding the time qualifies him for trials next year, which qualifies him for Worlds.

At the meet he captured the silver medal in 100 metre free as well as two bronze medals in the 50 metre free and the 100 metre breast.

“It felt really good,” said Gauthier of achieving the feat in the 50 metre breast stroke. “I’ve never even made like Nationals or anything in swimming like that, so like I guess just jumping right past my National time and getting that Olympic Trials time was really exciting.”

He added he is expected to make the time in the 100 metre breast stroke in the coming month before the Olympic Trials.

The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack swimmer says his goal was to qualify for U Sports and will continue to be his goal heading to his next meet, which is Provincials.

In some events the U Sports time is faster than the trial time and sometimes it is the other way around depending on the event, he explained, which is why he didn’t hit the U Sports time despite getting an Olympic Trial time.

A veteran to Provincials, Gauthier is going to continue his regular training and add a little extra work in the gym between practices.

He is looking to see how much he can improve on his 100 metre breast stroke with the aim of bringing it to a trial time.

Additionally, Gauthier also wants to improve on his 100 metre free as a way to add more trial times in addition to the 50 metre breast stroke.

“It’s unlikely for I guess anybody to make the Olympic team unless you’re actually like selected or expected to do it,” said Gauthier of whether or not the trial times will help land him in Tokyo this summer.

Fellow Sylvan Laker Tyler Gauthier also clinched a medal at the meet in White Rock when he won a bronze in the 200 metre butterfly.

The Thompson Rivers WolfPack placed 11th in team competition at the PSW meet.