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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, December 6, 2012 · 26 Results still motivating, just not consuming Continued from page 25 bring your `A' game once a year," he said at the time, "Zack is such a workhorse, he can take a hard workout and turn around the next day and give you a great race." And so with the Olympic trials approaching, Chetrat decided to take a year off from his economics and political science studies and dedicate himself to making the Olympic team. o what?" Chetrat thought. So he hadn't achieved his goal. Did his family still love him? Did his friends still like him? Did his teammates still Zack Chetrat "S respect the effort he had put into the impairment. I was too worried about the attempt? The answers kept coming back, consequences," he said. "I'm still results yes. driven, but my approach has changed. If I've His immediate reaction upon realizing put everything into it and done my best, I he had not made the Olympic team was that can't blame myself if I've done everything I he had failed. Chetrat no can." longer sees it that way, even "It was really only after Chetrat and fellow swimif in the simplest of terms mer Hassaan Abdel Khalik the Olympics were over he had failed to reach his -- who also missed out on goal. That's because with- that I could really let an Olympic spot -- have out all the work he put in things slide. It took been sharing their experiduring that year, he would (thinking about quitting ences with swim clubs not be where he is today. the sport) to know that I through an initiative called That realization took some Dream Big. Their message wanted to keep going." time, though. is to enjoy the moment and "It took me a good five appreciate the opportunity Zack Chetrat months. It was really only to race. And if the race after the Olympics were doesn't produce the desired over that I could really let things slide," he result, how to use that to reach your future said. "It took going to that place (thinking goals. It's a lesson Chetrat learned by living about quitting the sport) to know that I it. wanted to keep going." "It's taught me, instead of being defeated Things started to turn around for Chetrat forever by one race, be better because of it," in the summer. After taking a month-long he said. break from training, he got back in the pool. Chetrat no longer struggles to find the Two months after trials, he found himself motivation that escaped him in the months back in Montreal at the same pool where following the Olympic trials. He heads into trials had been held. the World Short Course Championships When it came time for the 200m butter- swimming at his best. At the University Cup fly final, Chetrat found himself in Lane 7, in Toronto two weeks ago, he set a personal the same lane he raced in at trials. Two lanes best in the 100m butterfly and also won the to his right was Sharpe, who was preparing 400m freestyle. The following week at for the Olympics. Canada Cup in Etobicoke, he set a personal Chetrat beat Sharpe and took the silver best and established an Ontario record in medal, finishing behind only former world the 200m butterfly. championship medalist Peng Wu of China. Still, Chetrat knows he will have his work The following month, Chetrat earned a sil- cut out for him in Istanbul. ver medal at nationals. Rejoining the Varsity "I'm really excited. There are going to be Blues this fall provided further inspiration a lot of fast swimmers who are a lot better as he knew younger swimmers would look than me, but I'm going to race against to him for leadership. Olympians and I'm looking forward to being Chetrat's new outlook hasn't completely back in that environment and see where I changed from those days back in the public measure up." pools. He still likes to win. Results are still a Win or lose, Chetrat will use the results motivating factor, he's just not consumed by to push himself closer to his goal. them. "I look at it that I almost cared too much -- Herb Garbutt can be followed (at Olympic trials). I cared so much it was an on Twitter @Herbgarbutt Olympian wins three Canada Cup medals Oakville Aquatic Club (OAK) Olympian Tera Van Beilen won a silver medal and two bronzes at the Canada Cup meet, held recently at Etobicoke Olympium. Van Beilen's silver came in the women's senior 200-metre breaststroke, while the bronzes came in the 50m and 100m breaststroke. Omar Arafa was OAK's other medalist at the meet, claiming silver in the men's 50m backstroke. Evan White was fourth in the men's 400m individual medley. Gamal Assaad, Mitchell Gour, Annika Grewal, Kent Kikot and Peter Serles also represented OAK at the competition. Nothers Fall Invitational Bara Tlabar won eight gold medals and Carolina Zhang added seven more to lead OAK swimmers at the recent Nothers Fall Invitational in London. Ian Chambers, Alyssa Forbes, Collyn Gagne, Justin Kirkham and Hal Malcolm each won three golds. Twoevent winners were William Anderchek, Emilie Gagne, Carly Jazbec, Jacqueline Keire, Sunny Liu and Bryanna Samuels. Also winning races were Kiera Brough, Amr Elfarseisy, Sarah Hay, Bennett Ho, Dion Renaud, Trevor Smith, Nina Tomic and Wezley Wright. Other medalists included Tyler Altenhof, Derek Calvert, Jessica Clark, Emily Cudny, Mohamed Elmarsafawi, Adrian Haasler, Gabrielle Harris, Chloe Haslam, Marissa Hay, Vienna Holdip, Andrew Hughes, Anthony See Younger, page 27