Sports

Orangeville Otters swimming team make waves with record-setting performances in Montreal

August 6, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Sam Odrowski

Fourteen-year-old Orangeville Otters swimmer Austin Nelissen broke two Ontario provincial records while competing against the country’s top athletes at the 2026 Bell Canadian Swimming Trials in Montreal.

Nelissen, along with teammates Wesley Halls and Kaitlin Malec, represented the club at the national competition, held July 5 to 9 at the Montreal Olympic Pool inside Olympic Park Centre.

The 2026 Bell Canadian Swimming Trials are the country’s premier swimming competition and serve as a selection meet for the Pan Pacific Championships, Junior Pan Pacific Championships and Para Pan Pacific Championships.

Qualifying for the event is an achievement in itself, as it allows swimmers to compete against Canada’s best. Swimmers who qualify in at least one event can also enter one additional time trial event each day, providing further opportunities to achieve personal best times.

Head Coach Sam Kuntz said competing at Canadian Trials gives swimmers valuable experience racing in a high-pressure environment.

“Canadian Trials is a unique experience because it puts our swimmers in an environment where every race matters and every detail counts,” Kuntz said. “Seeing Kaitlin, Wesley and Austin compete with confidence against the best swimmers in the country was a great reflection of their preparation, commitment and belief in themselves.”

Kuntz said the experience will help the swimmers continue to develop as they pursue future goals.

Competing in the Para S10 classification, Nelissen delivered one of the meet’s top performances. He broke Ontario provincial S10 records in the 800-metre freestyle and 100-metre backstroke.

Nelissen lowered his personal best time in the 800-metre freestyle by 17 seconds and recorded additional personal bests in the 50-metre and 100-metre freestyle events.

His provincial record swim in the 100-metre backstroke earned him a seventh-place finish in the multiclass Para competition against some of Canada’s top para swimmers.

In total, Nelissen competed in six events.

Sixteen-year-old Wesley Halls competed in three events, setting personal bests in each.

Halls posted lifetime bests in the 400-metre freestyle and 100-metre backstroke time trials, finishing ninth in the 100-metre backstroke. He also competed in the main 50-metre backstroke event, where his personal best earned him an 18th-place finish in the Junior division.

His 50-metre backstroke performance also established a new 15-16 Orangeville Otters club record.

Eighteen-year-old Kaitlin Malec earned her spot at the Canadian Trials after qualifying in the 50-metre butterfly. She also competed in the 50-metre freestyle time trial, finishing 10th. Her appearance on the national stage reflected a season of perseverance, dedication and hard work.

All three swimmers returned to the community with valuable experience and a taste of what it takes to compete at the national level.

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