Despite the origins of her last name, Patricia Fortier does not speak Canada's other official language and as far as she can tell her family does not have a French heritage.
That won't be a problem for the 15-year-old Prince George Barracudas Swim Club member. She's hoping her actions will speak louder than words when she dives into the Canada Summer Games pool next week in Sherbrooke, Que.
Fortier, a native of Dryden, Ont., is one of five Barracudas swimmers on Team B.C., and her goal is to make it to finals in her two best events, the 200m backstroke or 400 individual medley. She admits she likely wouldn't be in that position is she hadn't moved to Prince George three years ago.
"It's taken blood, sweat and tears just to make it this far and I never thought I would make it here," said Fortier, who is also entered in the 100 backstroke and 200 breaststroke and 400 individual medley in Sherbrooke. "I came from a small town with no swim team when I started -- me and my mom made the team. When I came to Prince George I was like, finally I can get a good workout, have a good time and have a lot of friends."
Fortier's grandparents and extended family live in Ontario and like her parents they plan to watch her swim live online on the Games website, jeuxducanada2013.ca.
"The hype is really starting to build here, it's overwhelming some days," Fortier said. "Everyone is really excited for it. I'm terrified about the opening ceremonies, I don't like being in front of people, but I'm pretty sure it's going to be great."
The other Barracudas now in Sherbrooke for today's opening ceremonies are Danica Ludlow, Haley Black, and Sterling King (all part of the 12-male, 12-female able-bodied B.C. team) and David Dunn (part of the two-male, two female Special Olympics team). There are also two Paralympics swimmers of each gender on Team B.C.
The able-bodied swimmers moved in to the athletes village in Sherbrooke after 11 days of training four hours per day in Longueuil, Que. Ludlow and King will kick off the Canada Games competition Sunday, both entered in the 4 X 200m freestyle relay.
"There's a great atmosphere going into the meet, we're all really excited and I think we will swim really fast as a team and win some medals and represent B.C., really well," said the 16-year-old Ludlow.
"It shows how amazing a coach Jerzy [Partyka] is and it really shows you don't have to be from the bigger clubs to have four swimmers representing B.C. at the Canada Summer Games. We had 11 people qualify for nationals this year and to have four on the provincial team is just amazing."
Ludlow, a freestyle specialist, will join Sarah Maybee-Hall of Victoria in the five-kilometre open-water swim event on Lac Memphrmagog on Friday, Aug. 9. They are the only B.C. athletes entered.
"I'm looking forward to that, it's a lot different for me, I'm a mid-distance swimmer but I've decided to take one for the team," said Ludlow. "It's a little out of my comfort zone but it will be a good experience and I'm sure it will help me in the pool somehow."
Black, 16, a butterfly specialist, has been a Barracuda since she was six and she's never been to large-scale Games. She's also entered in the 200 and 400 individual medley as well as the 50 breaststroke and 100 backstroke.
"I'm really excited to bond with the other athletes in the other sports because there are a lot of social experiences," said Black. "I want to get as many points as I can for Team B.C. so we can win the swimming, so I'm hoping for best times and to place as high as I can. The 200 fly [on Monday] is my best event. I haven't been able to see where I'm seeded."
This will be the last swim meet of King's 11-year career as a Barracuda. The 17-year-old is moving on to the University of Calgary where he'll join the Dinos varsity team in September, but before that and he's hoping to make his mark in Sherbrooke in the 100 and 200 butterfly and 200 and 400 freestyle events.
"It's exciting, it's a big event," said King. "The pools don't change much but it's definitely going to be energized there.
"There's a lot of people who have helped me get here and I just want to thank them. I've had lots of support."
