A former Drumheller resident this week is pursuing his dream to go to the Olympics and is at time trials in Montréal.
Andrew Poznikoff, son of Dr. Kenneth Poznikoff and Karen Almquist Silverberg is hoping to vie for a spot on Team Canada for London 2012.
One of Canada’s elite athletes, Andrew specializes in breast stroke and currently is one of Canada’s top swimmers with all competitors’ times being within less than one second.
Andrew began swimming competitively with the Aquadinnies when he was just seven. By age 10, he had already received many provincial qualifying times in all his strokes, and 10 new Aquadinnies club records.
By 14, he earned top provincial time standards and was selected by University of Calgary Swim Club to travel his first time to Montreal, to compete. How fitting. Andrew excelled.
This has been a busy year for Andrew as he travelled to World Cups in Germany and Sweden and the Grand Prix in Missouri, and Canada’s Cup 2012, making finals in all these meets.
Andrew credits his early beginnings to Eileen Woods of Drumheller who spent many years volunteering her time coaching the Aquadinnies Swim Club. Ted Earl filled in to coach one year. He also trained under the late Larry Nielsen in Stettler, and then began to travel with his mother to Calgary for 5 practices a week. There he trained under Wendy Johnson until Grade 12 when he took a two-year break.
Andrew moved to Grande Prairie in his senior year. In his first year of College joined the Grande Prairie Piranhas. This is where he truly gained momentum and strength and desire to continue on his path towards this dream of making Olympic Trials.
At this level Andrew broke all of Alberta College's breast stroke records at the last meet at NAIT, the final year of this Alberta College Meet.
Andrew was then scouted by Simon Fraser University to swim on their university team on a full scholarship for two years.
At this time Andrew transferred to SFU to complete his BSc Degree in Molecular and Cell Biology, and swam full time with SFU, in Burnaby, BC.
Now that he has completed his degree he commits full time attention to swimming and training with the Simon Fraser Association. This is a full time job for him.
The Olympic trials are March 27 to April 1, and are being broadcast live on Sportsnet. The schedule can be found at www.swimming.ca. They are also being broadcast online at www.swimcanweb.tv. He is also documenting his experience at www.youtube.com/PozzTube.
