Based on her age alone, Danica Ludlow had no business almost making Team Canada for the world youth championships.
But, if she had been just a tick faster in a 400-metre freestyle heat race two weekends ago in Victoria, she would have qualified for worlds, set for August in Lima, Peru. She would have achieved that feat even though she's a first-year junior -- age 14 -- who was competing against swimmers as old as 16.
Ludlow, a member of the Prince George Barracudas, was in the pool at the 2011 World Trials Long Course Championships and posted a club-record time of four minutes 19.79 seconds in the 400 free. The standard she needed to meet for Team Canada inclusion was 4:18.
For some athletes, falling just short of such a major accomplishment would be reason for disappointment. Ludlow, however, sees the situation another way.
"I look at it with pride because me being so young and to be as fast as these girls that are one to two to three years older than me, it makes me realize that all the practice and the early mornings, they're all paying off," Ludlow said. "I had a [personal] best time and won my heat by over seven seconds. It was hard, but it was worth it."
Later, in the 400m freestyle final, Ludlow touched the wall in about 4:20. Heading into that weekend, her fastest clocking in the event had been 4:24.
Ludlow, currently the top-ranked 14-year-old 400m freestyler in the country, has now set the goal of establishing a new Canadian age-group record in the distance this season. To do that, she'll have to trim about seven seconds off her PB.
"I am so motivated," she said with a grin. "It's pretty much everything I'm training for right now.
"I think it would be amazing to look back and see that you were, and are, the fastest 14-year-old in Canada that has ever swum the 400-metre freestyle. I think it would be just an amazing feeling."
While she was in Victoria for the world trials, Ludlow also established new Barracudas records in the 800m freestyle (9:03.26) and 1,500m freestyle (17:50.96).
Barracudas swimmers Haley Black and Katie Mann were also at the trials, and all three girls found themselves in the company of senior national team members like Annamay Pierse and Brent Hayden.
"For my first senior nationals, it was an amazing time," said Ludlow, a Grade 9 student at Prince George secondary school. "It was so inspirational."
Barracudas head coach Jerzy Partyka sees unlimited potential in Ludlow, who moved to Prince George from Sydney, Australia, four years ago. In Partyka's view, Ludlow's level of future success will be determined solely by how dedicated she is to her training.
"She's good during the competitions," he said. "She likes to compete, she likes to race. When it comes to the time when we have to practice every day -- we're practicing for six or seven months and have to do lots of work -- she struggles. That's the problem, but I see more consistent work right now and her attendance is better. She's not missing any practices and that's why she's swimming so well."
Ludlow has heard comments like these from Partyka on a regular basis.
"Jerzy always tells me that there's somebody else in the world training harder," she said.
Starting today, Ludlow and the rest of the Barracudas will put their training to use when they host the annual Moose Meet.
"The Moose Meet is such a fun time," Ludlow said. "All the Barracudas get together and we cheer on everybody. It's really good for the club. We cheer on the younger kids and they look up to us a lot."
The three-day event will unfold at the Prince George Aquatic Centre.
Ludlow and Black have been invited to represent Canada at the Mel Zajac International, May 27-29 in Vancouver. The meet is part of a Canada Cup series, and, last year, attracted U.S. Olympic hero Michael Phelps.
