CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Ellen MacNearney is a shark in the pool and Special Olympics Canada agrees.
The national organization handed the Montague resident its 2018 female athlete of the year award for her work in the water highlighted by gold and silver medals at this year’s Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Antigonish, N.S.
It’s the 24-year-old’s second national female award, the first came in 2013 after a fine season in cross-country skiing.
“I’m pretty excited to win especially in the 50th year (of Special Olympics). It definitely means a lot. I didn’t expect to win a second time,” MacNearney said.
MacNearney has had a heck of a 10-year run with Special Olympics, competing in swimming, cross-country skiing and other community sports. In the pool, she’s a force earning a combined 12 gold medals at the last two Provincial Games. She’s also competed in swimming at the 2013 and 2017 Canada Summer Games.
So, what’s the two-sport athlete’s secret? Well, for MacNearney there is no secret although she admits her swimming has seen the most improvement. Mostly, it’s about focus.
“Not really, just try your best basically,” MacNearney said. “(In the pool) I kind of just think about my race and relax and try not to get too wound up. (In cross-country skiing) I just enjoy it and keep on going.”
Her distances in the pool run 50 to 400 metres through butterfly to crawls and she’s working on moving up to 5K in cross-country skiing. She’s not a huge fan of the 50-metre swimming distances, although understands that sometimes success comes from unusual place.
“It’s not my favourite stroke, but my best stroke is my front crawl.”
For now, MacNearney’s staying in shape and training for the next Provincial Games in February. Training for the Games starts in earnest in two weeks.
But before that, she was recognized at provincial legislature Tuesday and there were a bit of nerves heading into the event.
“Yes and no. Yes, if I have to make a speech, and no because I’m just proud of myself to do this, I guess.”
MacNearney’s medals at the nationals included gold (400-metre freestyle), silvers in 4x25-metre relay and 200-metre individual medley, and bronze (4x50-metre relay). She finished fourth in three other events.
