The future is bright for St. Albert swimmer Paige Kremer after a record-breaking and medal-winning season in the pool.
The prolific 14-year-old with the Olympian Swim Club broke an astounding 31 individual club records — 11 were provincial and two were Canadian age-group marks — plus 14 relay club records, including six provincial and three national standards.
“It’s really exciting what I did. I really hope I can accomplish more in the next couple of years,” Kremer said. “I’m just really dedicated to swimming. I love it. Every day when I go to work out, I put in my all to try and get these records.”
Highlighting her medal haul of five gold, three silver and two bronze at the Western Canada Summer Games (WCSG) in Kamloops was the national age group short-course record of 25.52 seconds in the 50-metre freestyle. Her previous best was 25.77.
“I wanted to get it really bad,” Kremer said. “I was shooting for that record all short course season leading up until March before the long course season started. I never got it, so I knew I had to do it at the games.”
Prior to the WCSG, at the recent national age group championships in Montreal, Kremer eclipsed the 100m free long course record set in 2009 by Lauren Earp, who wore a high performance suit. Kremer’s time was 56.65, including a quick 28.96 on the return leg.
“I didn’t expect that one because I tried to shoot for the record in the 50 free,” she said. “I’m happy with both of them. The national records are very special.”
The versatile racer likes to swim a variety of events.
“I mostly do freestyle and backstroke, but I also do some individual medley and some fly,” she said. “I do like the 100 freestyle. I come back pretty strong on the second 50.”
Kremer’s long list of major accomplishments this summer included her third appearance at the Canadian senior championships the week before she competed at her fourth age group nationals.
“At senior nationals, I made a couple of finals and that was pretty special.”
The Grade 10 Paul Kane High School student also competed for Canada at the North American Challenge Cup in Mexico.
“I had no best times but I still got some medals,” Kremer said. “I’ve made that same meet twice before in Mexico and it’s really cool to know that everything that you’ve put in over the year, you can show Canada what you’ve done.”
The WCSG was the last meet this season for Kremer and she went out with a bang. Three of her five individual medals were gold, including a provincial age group short course record in the 100 free at 56.66. Another five medals were won in the relays.
“I was really happy. I got I think four personal best times.”
Kremer credits the Olympian club for her success.
“Everyone in my group is all like a family so it makes it more fun to go to workouts. It’s not as stressful and there is less pressure,” said Kremer, who comes from a family of six, all of whom have swum for the Olympians. “But at meets, there is definitely pressure. Even at little meets, there is pressure for me to win.”
