BROOKLYN DOUTHWRIGHT

Riverview swimmer Brooklyn Douthwright graduated from the swimming pool in her family’s backyard to joining the Aquasouls Synchro Club of Greater Moncton when she was seven years old. She has not looked back. Her resume includes the Codiac Vikings Aquatic Club, the Club Natation Bleu et Or, the Ontario Swimming Academy at the High Performance Centre in Toronto, and now, the University of Tennessee swim team. She has also represented Canada internationally and hopes to represent her country again at the Paris Olympics in 2024. She has been recognized by Sport Canada’s Athlete Assistance Program, a process known as carding and which provides support to high-potential amateur athletes, beginning when she was thirteen.

TheRiverView: What got you started in swimming?

BrooklynDouthwright: My grandfather and now my uncle own a pool business, so naturally we had a pool and that is where I got started. I tried out for the swim team when I was about five, but I ended up leaving the try-outs. Then when I was seven, I went out for synchro and then about two years later I realized that I actually like racing and the competitive atmosphere is what I really love about swimming. Then I went to the Codiac Vikings Aquatic Club and that is where I really started competitive swimming.

I understand that at one point you swam the Northumberland Strait when you were twelve years old?

Yes, That was definitely exciting and something that I wanted to challenge myself with, so I was really happy. I finished in around 4 hours.

Are you still the youngest person to have done that?

Yes.

That is amazing! What happened next as you developed the competitive aspect of your swimming?

I actually stayed in synchronized swimming for the first maybe three or four years and so it was kind of trying to find a balance between the two. When I got more serious about competitive swimming, I think the year I got carded, I started to focus more on racing and started to go to Ontario to train with the swimming academy up there. That helped me with just progressing through the levels in my club and finding opportunities where I could and just working on meeting my goals.

You have represented Canada at international meets. What is that like?

I went to World Juniors in Budapest back in 2019 and then this year I went to Worlds. That is the dream for every swimmer is to be able to represent their country. To see my hard work paying off and getting that experience with such an amazing group of athletes and coaches, to experience the amazing level of professionalism that is there, is amazing and so good for my development.

What is your competitive specialty?

I do freestyle; the 100 and 200 (metre) “free” is usually where I Iand.

How did you come to go to the University of Tennessee?

I was a little lost during the recruiting process. It was very overwhelming! In the NCAA system there are so many schools with so many resources. But eventually just getting to talk to the coaches and the facilities that Tennessee has I just knew that that was the place for me. I couldn’t be happier with my decision. It is just such an amazing program with such amazing people.

I finished my second year in May and then I swam there this summer, so I am going into my Junior year.

Tell us about your experience there – that is a very high level of competition.

It is. It is quite different because every team is going to competitions with twenty-two women and twenty-two men, and it is like half of the competition is just trying to “win the deck.” People are at the side of the pool just screaming. It is such a different environment; you really have to bring your A game. It really brings that out of you.

What are your goals for this coming year?

Well, trying to get on top of that podium! And, this is an Olympic year, so I am really focused on that, as that has been my biggest goal since I started swimming. So, just working hard with my coaches to see what I can accomplish, just putting my best foot forward every day to see what I can do.