Hillary Metcalfe had her first swim practice when she was four years old.
As she recalls it, her butterfly stroke needed a little work.
“I remember my mom telling me to keep my arms out of the water,” Metcalfe told the Langley Times.
The now-17-year-old Metcalfe has considerably improved her technique since then.
She finished third in the 50 breaststroke and fourth in the 100 breaststroke at the Canadian Age Group Championships last year.
She was also ranked in the top 10 for 15-17 year olds in the short course 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke and the long course 50 and 100 breaststroke.
“I love racing,” she said.
“And I always love having a challenge.”
She is from a family of swimmers, with mom, dad and older sister all competing.
When they holiday in Hawaii, she said the family makes sure pool time is built into their schedule.
Metcalfe has been swimming competitively for the Langley Olympians Swim Club since she was seven.
This year, she will be joining the UBC Thunderbirds for the 2016-17 season.
Metcalfe said she chose UBC because it is the best university team in Canada and close to home.
The UBC Thunderbirds won both the men’s and women’s titles at the 2014-15 CIS Championships.
The swimswam.com website noted that Metcalfe’s best times “would place her either in or on the cusp of making last year’s finals at the CIS Championships in all three breaststroke events.”