Ladysmith’s Faith Knelson is still fresh off a successful World Junior Swimming Championships this past summer and has now been named to the roster for next year’s XXI Commonwealth Games in Australia.
“Being named to the team is so surreal. It’s my first senior national team, and to be able to represent my country at a games like the Commonwealths has me ecstatic yet so humbled,” Knelson told the Chronicle.
The multi-sport event will be held on the Gold Coast, Queensland, between April 4 to 15, 2018. Knelson is one of seven rookies nominated to the senior squad, which also includes Olympians and five athletes who raced at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Knelson notched the most successful year of her young swimming career after capturing a pair of silver in the 50-m ad 100-m breaststroke events at the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships in Indianapolis in August.
She also added a gold in the 4x100-m medley relay as her and teammates Penny Oleksiak, Jade Hannah and Taylor Ruck established a new world junior record.
Knelson is currently training as part of Swimming Canada’s NextGen program in Victoria.
“I’m looking forward to improving and working hard day from here on in until the Games,” Knelson said. “All of the support from back home, my friends, and family has got me here; I couldn’t thank anyone enough for all they do.”
Other Island swimmers nominated to the Commonwealth team include Victoria’s Sarah Darcel and Jeremy Bagshaw.
Knelson said she’s looking forward to representing her country on the international stage.
“The Gold Coast Games 2018 will be an experience I won’t ever forget and I can’t wait to get up and race for the red and white once again,” she said.
The entire Canadian team will be officially announced by Commonwealth Games Canada in March 2018.