Penny Oleksiak To Join Gators At Mel Zajac Jr. International

2018 MEL ZAJAC JR. INTERNATIONAL

Four-time Olympic medalist Penny Oleksiakwho has made the move to Gainesville to train with the Florida Gators for the next few months, will return to her home country next weekend to compete at the Mel Zajac Mr. International meet. The competition will be held June 1-3 at the UBC Aquatic Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The 17-year-old will be making the trip with her Gator training mates, as the likes of Caeleb DresselRyan Lochte and Mark Szaranek are among those who are also confirmed to be in attendance.

After her performance at the Commonwealth Games wasn’t up to her lofty standards, leaving with zero individual medals, she made the move to train in Florida in order to put a solid foundation in place prior to the run up to the Pan Pacific Championships in August.

She joined the Gators last weekend at the Atlanta Classic, putting together some solid swims given she was in heavy training. She won the 200 fly, an event she hasn’t really pursued since breaking out in 2016, in a new personal best of 2:11.22, and also won the 100 free in 55.13 and took 2nd in the 50 (25.79).

In addition to Oleksiak and some of the Gators, High Performance Centre athletes from both Vancouver and Victoria are expected to attend, which likely will include the likes of Yuri KisilMarkus Thormeyer and Emily Overholt. Full psych sheets should be released shortly.

For a full list of teams attending, the meet schedule, and where you can buy tickets, click here.

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CANCOACH
6 years ago

“Its a poor musician who blames his instrument” Sometimes the change is looking right at you in the mirror. It doesn’t matter if GOD almighty is on deck if the swimmer just doesn’t want to work. Anyone who has watched her train can tell you that she will most likely fold under Troy’s demands. But hey, anything’s possible.

Lana
6 years ago

Coach Troy is leaving the Gators at the end of this season so that’s why Penny is only in Gainesville till August. I bet Penny will follow Coach Troy to his new University…Im sure she will be giving a verbal commitment to Coach Troy.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
6 years ago

I am sure she will be taken good care of in Gainesville . Wishing her all the best

Aquajosh
6 years ago

If she has 100% buy-in in the work they do and confidence in her training, her potential is limitless. I look forward to watching her take off in the 200 fly this summer.

Skoorbnagol
6 years ago

Titley to Troy …. great move

Speed Racer
6 years ago

Any chance Martyn Wilby is returning to Florida?

Coach
Reply to  Speed Racer
6 years ago

No

Superfan
6 years ago

Also some USA Juniors will be there too

Coach
6 years ago

Just as a clarification, Pretty sure she wore a racing suit in the finals last week. I’m fairly certain the enitire gator group basically didn’t suit up in the am, then suited up in the pm.

Superfan
Reply to  Coach
6 years ago

I was there and that is true. Dressel wore a brief the entire time til Sunday finals.

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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