High Performance Centre – Ontario head coach Ben Titley will be leading the Canadian Olympic team for the first time this summer in Rio.
It was announced that Titley would be the head coach for the team, leading a strong squad of 26 pool swimmers. Titley will be overseeing five other coaches including Tom Johnson, Linda Kiefer, Ryan Mallette, Steve Price, and Kevin Thorburn.
Although it will be his first time going to the Olympic Games with Canada, Titley has been the coach on three Olympic teams during his career.
His first stint at the Games was in 2004 with Britain with follow up coaching positions in both 2008 and 2012.
Titley came to Canada in 2013 to be the head coach of HPC – Ontario where he’s been developing high profile athletes ever since. He quickly rose to the top of the coaching scene in Canada, being named the head coach of the 2015 Pan American Games team. Titley was also part of the coaching staff for the 2015 World Championships.
Hot off an impressive summer, Titley put five athletes onto the Canadian Olympic squad at Trials earlier this year; the highest number out of all coaches.
Four of his athletes will be representing Canada on the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay this summer. Chantal Van Landeghem, Michelle Williams, Penny Oleksiak, and Sandrine Mainville all qualified for the team in the relay with Van Landeghem, Williams, and Oleksiak also locking in individual performances.
Fifteen-year-old Oleksiak will be competing in the most events out of any other Canadian swimmer this summer after making the team in the 100m butterfly, 200m freestyle, and the 100m freestyle. Her three swims also guarantee her a spot on all three of Canada’s relays.
Oleksiak broke the world junior record in the 100m freestyle at trials in order to take down her teammate Van Landeghem. Van Landeghem finished second, securing an individual Olympic event for Rio. Van Landeghem went on to win the 50m freestyle as well.
Finishing second in the 50 freestyle was Michelle Williams who will be swimming that event individually in Rio.
Besides his four freestyle swimmers, Audrey Lacroix will also be representing Canada come Rio. Lacroix recently moved to train with Titley before the 2015 Pan American Games and has been working with him ever since.
Lacroix made the team in the 200m butterfly, locking in her third Olympic appearance.
With his expertise, Ttitley is confident in his role as the head coach. He told CBC, “my role is to try to maximize the environment we have the athletes in and make sure everybody is confident going to Rio.”
Canada has a very strong team with plenty of potential to medal in Rio. Titley said to CBC, “obviously we’ve got very good young talent on both the men’s and women’s side. We’re shooting for medals and the best performances we can.”