2024 Short Course World Championships
- December 10-15, 2024
- Duna Arena, Budapest, Hungary
- SCM (25m)
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Canadian 16-year-old Oliver Dawson finished 21st in the heats of the men’s 200 meter breaststroke on Saturday, swimming a 2:07.61. A swim that might have otherwise flown under the radar, that time is a new Canadian 15-17 Age Group Record by more than three seconds.
The old record of 2:10.72 was set by Evan White at a meet in Oregon in the United States in 2013.
Dawson, who trains under his dad Alex Dawson with the Grand Prairie Piranhas, previously broke the equivalent long course record over the summer by more than two seconds.
The 200 breaststroke an event that Canada used to excel in. That includes Olympic champion and World Record breaker Victor Davis in 1984 and World Championship silver medalist Mike Brown in 2005. The country has never won a World Championship medal in short course in this event.
More recently, though, the Canadian men have not been good in this event internationally, in spite of some success on the women’s side. Their last Olympic entry in the men’s 200 breaststroke was in 2016, their last Olympic semi-finalist was in 2012, and their last Olympic finalist was Mike Brown, who placed 4th in 2008.
Dawson, the only Canadian entry in the event at this meet, could change that.
Splits Comparison
| Oliver Dawson | Oliver Dawson | Evan White | |
| Prior Personal Best | New NAG Record |
Old NAG Record
|
|
| 50m | 30.74 | 28.83 | 29.69 |
| 100m | 33.14 | 32.94 | 33.72 |
| 150m | 33.47 | 33.53 | 34.34 |
| 200m | 33.37 | 32.31 | 33.32 |
| Total Time | 2:10.72 | 2:07.61 | 2:11.07 |
Much like we saw in his long course races, Dawson has really picked up steam in each phase of his 200.
White never went better than that age group record, shifting his focus to IM races before retiring relatively-young at the age of 20.
Dawson is committed to race for American breaststroking power program Indiana University in Bloomington beginning fall 2026. The 200 breaststroke was his only individual entry at this meet.
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There was always that one kid on everyone’s swim team who wore their cap over their goggles 😂
Lots of competitors do exactly that – helps keep the goggles in place. It seems to work well for him I would say! Very proud here in Grande Prairie! Great job, Oliver!