The 22nd edition of the World Aquatics Championships are nearing, and two of Cayman’s female swimmers have been selected to compete for their country in Singapore.
Kyra Rabess and Harper Barrowman are among the more than 2,500 athletes from 210 national federations who will compete across six aquatic sports: swimming, water polo, diving, artistic swimming, open water swimming and high diving.
Rabess, a sophomore at the University of Northern Colorado, competed in the World Aquatics Swimming Championships, in Budapest in December last year. That was a short-course event (25-metre pool), though, and this year’s competition will be her first attempt at the long course (50-metre pool).
“One of my main … goals is to ultimately see where I am at when competing [in] long course … It would be amazing to achieve any personal best in either of my events, but primarily it is to work on race strategy, to see what I can fix or change for my end of season meet,” she said.
Rabess, who will swim in the 400m and 1500m freestyle events, said her focal point in preparing for the competition will be on building aerobic and muscular endurance.
“I am feeling both physically and mentally prepared for these championships as I know I have the training behind me already, and mentally going into this, I am taking it as another opportunity to be able to fully experience competing on one of the biggest stages in the world,” she said.
As for pressure and expectations when competing at this elite level, especially as a representative of her entire nation, she says that she has learned what she needs to do to perform better.
“By balancing pressure with fun, I end up performing better, as I am not too worried about what people might think as I know they will fully appreciate me giving 100% of my effort no matter the results.”
Barrowman, a seasoned competitor at the World Championships – all long-course pools – will contest the 200m and 800m freestyle in her third appearance at the major event.
Her training has adjusted to accommodate the 800m, a new event for her which replaces the 400m. Because of this change, she told the Compass, “I will have … a slightly different strategy going into the competition as I am swimming a different event than the previous two times.”
She has just completed her freshman year at Drexel University, saying that experience brought a lot of changes such as a new programme and coaches, but her focus is always technique and building endurance.
Barrowman, currently refining her skills with her home club, Seven Mile Swimmers, and coach, views pressure as a tool that helps her to swim better as it builds adrenaline.
“Knowing that I am representing Cayman combats stress as well because I know I have so much support from home,” she said.
Both athletes will compete in the swimming portion of the championships being held from 26 July-3 Aug.
