Ruck will not compete at the Bell Canadian Swimming Trials, as she will be taking a short break from swimming.
“I need to put myself in the best position to perform to my goals at the Olympics next year,” Ruck said. “Right now that means I need to unplug for a little while, so I can come back refreshed and ready to be at my best in the pool.”
Ruck recently repeated as 200-yard freestyle champion at the NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships in Knoxville, Tenn. The four-time Olympic medallist then joined the training group at the High Performance Centre – Ontario in preparation for Trials. Although she had intended to compete, she found she was feeling exhausted after a busy season that also included representing Canada at the World Swimming Championships (25m) in Melbourne, Australia, in December.
Ruck discussed her long-term plans with Stanford University Head Coach Greg Meehan, HPC-Ontario Head Coach Ryan Mallette, Swimming Canada High Performance Director and National Coach John Atkinson, and the integrated support team, who supported her taking a break.
“We need to keep the long-term best interests of each individual athlete at the forefront. With so many events on the calendar last year, and between now and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, not every swimmer is going to be able to swim them all,” said Atkinson. “Everybody’s got to do what they need to do on their path, based on where they are physically and mentally. Everybody’s on their own path to Paris, and those paths are going to converge next year.
Atkinson expects Ruck to take part in a Swimming Canada camp in Mallorca ahead of the Mare Nostrum tour in May.
“I’m looking forward to the camp in May and racing at Mare Nostrum,” Ruck said.