ItB次元官网网址檚 the end of January and Patrick Keane canB次元官网网址檛 wait to get back on the water.
The Grade 12 St. AndrewB次元官网网址檚 Regional High student and View Royal resident has been champing at the bit to put his oars in the welcoming Gorge Waterway after a winter break from waterborne training with the Victoria City Rowing Club.
At least one thing helped ease the anxiousness: last weekend in Vancouver, Keane accepted Rowing CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Jack Guest Award as the top junior sculler in the country for 2014.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 like, motivating and itB次元官网网址檚 good to see IB次元官网网址檓 progressing. It motivates me to be more successful,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 nice to have some recognition towards my hard work, and it definitely makes me want to work harder.B次元官网网址�
Keane, 17, is long and lean, standing six-foot-one and is carrying a shade under 73 kilograms on his frame. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 my winter weight,B次元官网网址� he says, noting that he has kept busy doing dryland training.
The menB次元官网网址檚 lightweight limit is 72.5 kg B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 his official category in menB次元官网网址檚 competition B次元官网网址� but Keane assures heB次元官网网址檒l be down to about 71.5 when he hits his racing trim.
After this SundayB次元官网网址檚 University of Victoria Monster ERG/Canadian Indoor Rowing Championships, itB次元官网网址檒l be back into the boat.
Among KeaneB次元官网网址檚 accomplishments last season, he finished second in the U-19 menB次元官网网址檚 single final, competing against university rowers, and was fourth in the U-23 lightweight menB次元官网网址檚 single final at the .
He added a in U19 menB次元官网网址檚 single the National Rowing Championships on Elk Lake last fall, a win in the Rowing Canada spring trials regatta in Burnaby last spring and a gold medal in the U-19 menB次元官网网址檚 singles at the Canadian Secondary School Rowing Association championships competing for St. AndrewB次元官网网址檚.
Involved in the sport since he was in Grade 8, Keane said he appreciates the training he received at St. AndrewB次元官网网址檚 and is grateful to have been able to work with and learn from Vic City coaches Pat Newman and Aalbert Van Schothorst, who moved on to become head coach of UVicB次元官网网址檚 menB次元官网网址檚 team last fall.
Seeing fellow club members go on to excel at nationals and, in some cases, qualify for the Olympics, has helped inspire him over the years, Keane says.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really cool to (train with) all the other bigger athletes and see them move on,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚 sort of carried on their traditions. ItB次元官网网址檚 great to be part of a club like that. You just donB次元官网网址檛 stop working, it just gets you going and motivates you.B次元官网网址�
Keane, also a top student academically, has a couple of oars in the water in terms of his university options for next fall.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e thrilled at how hard heB次元官网网址檚 worked and created these opportunities for himself,B次元官网网址� says PatrickB次元官网网址檚 father, Shane. B次元官网网址淚 hope I donB次元官网网址檛 jinx it, but I think he has a fair shot at the Olympics.B次元官网网址�
Patrick, who represented Canada at the junior world championships in 2013, hopes to wear the red and white again this season. He is looking to get out to a quick start for 2015, having front-loaded his course schedule at St. AndrewB次元官网网址檚 to have a little lighter academic load during the spring outdoor season and leading up to graduation.
B次元官网网址淚 just put in the hours and manage my time the best that I can,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淩ight now (IB次元官网网址檓) just focusing on going fast.B次元官网网址�
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
