Gordon's Path

From the age of 7 to 24, swimming wasn’t just a sport it was a way of life. For 17 years, I trained, traveled, and competed at some of the highest levels of the sport. From local club meets to international stages like the Ireland National Championships, the Ohio and Kentucky State Championships, and eventually the Canadian Olympic Trials for Paris 2024 this journey was anything but ordinary.

But behind every result was a story of relentless work ethic, invaluable mentorship, and the kind of personal growth that only comes from pushing yourself further than you ever thought possible.

The Early Days

I started competitive swimming at 7, and like many kids, I loved the water. But it wasn’t until age 13, at my first Age Group National meet, that I truly understood what it meant to be a swimmer. I had trained hard and was excited to race the 200 IM my favorite event. But the race didn’t go well. I got out of the pool disappointed, thinking talent would carry me further.

That’s when my coach, one of the greatest in Canada, pulled me aside and gave me a lesson I’ve never forgotten. He said:

“You can be a 10 on the talent scale but a 2 on work ethic, and in three years’ time, someone with a 10 work ethic and 2 talent will run laps around you.”

That moment changed everything.

Outworking Talent

The truth was, I wasn’t the most naturally gifted swimmer. But I had something else an unshakable work ethic. If others were putting in 100%, I was putting in 150%. I learned to love the grind, to embrace the pain, and to find pride in doing what others wouldn’t.

One of the most valuable lessons from my coaches was about accountability. We were told to get a mason jar and fill it with pennies. Every time you crushed a practice nailed every wall, hit every pace time, beat your teammates you added a penny. If something was off? You took one out. The goal was to have at least one penny in the jar by the end of the year. Every year, I made sure I had one more than the last.

Those pennies weren’t just tokens they were proof of effort, discipline, and the small wins that built into something much bigger.

Embracing the Grind

By the time I hit my late teens, swimming had taken me across the world. Each meet was a new chance to learn and grow not just as an athlete, but as a person. I became the swimmer who trained harder than anyone else, who refused to give up, and who pushed limits most wouldn’t even dare to try.

One memory stands out from that same Age Group Nationals when I was 13. On the final day, there was a 5km open water race. I had only done open water twice before. But my coach knew that I had something the others didn’t a motor that never stopped. I went in seeded 24th and came out with a bronze medal. That race wasn’t about talent it was about heart.

The Final Chapter

Reaching the Canadian Olympic Trials for Paris 2024 was the culmination of years of sweat, tears, early mornings, and unwavering focus. Standing on that pool deck among Canada’s best was surreal. It was the moment I had dreamed of, worked toward, and earned not because it came easy, but because I refused to quit.

Looking back, I’m not defined by medals or times. I’m defined by the mindset I built one that will stay with me long after swimming.

Lessons That Stick

Swimming taught me that:

• Talent is just a starting point what matters is how hard you’re willing to work.
• Accountability is everything, track your wins and losses, and learn from both.
• Pain is a part of growth, embrace it and let it shape you, not stop you.
• There is no off switch if you want to be great.

I’m forever grateful to the two incredible coaches who guided me, challenged me, and believed in me more than I sometimes believed in myself. Because of them, and because of the swimmer I became, I know that whatever comes next I’m ready.