Etobicoke Swim Club members Hassaan Abdel-Khalik and Bogdan Knezevic have been named to Canada’s 24-member junior team that will compete in Mexico from July 8-13.
Abdel-Khalik, 16, holds the provincial short course record in the 200-metre freestyle event for 11 and 12 year-olds. He also owns the provincial long course 200-metre freestyle standard for 13-14 year-olds and competed at the 2008 Olympic trials.
Knezevic, 17, competed on his first senior national team and at his first international swimming competition during the 2006 Pan Pacific Games. He also competed at the first FINA World Junior Championships in 2006. Knezevic also raced at the 2008 Olympic trials.
The competition in Monterrey will feature the world’s future Olympians, and will include 14-17 year-old female athletes and male swimmers aged 15-18.
The first World Junior Championship meet was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2006, and featured 480 athletes from 61 countries. This year, almost 100 nations will attend.
dwiner@mississauga.net
