Image credit: Big 10 Athletics

By Marty Hastings

TEAM CANADA

Angove of Kamloops overcomes Olympics disappointment with gutsy swim to qualify for worlds

Jun 25, 2025 | 12:45 PM

Sienna Angove felt a similar sinking feeling following the 100-metre freestyle final at the Bell Canadian Swimming Trials earlier this month in Victoria.

She placed fifth and .02 seconds short of qualifying for the 100m freestyle relay team that will race for Canada at the World Aquatics Championships, which are slated to run from July 11 to Aug. 3 in Singapore.

“Especially after last year … that one hit hard,” Angove said.

The 18-year-old Kamloops swimmer experienced disappointment at the 2024 Bell Olympic and Paralympic Trials last spring in Toronto, where she fell fingertips shy of qualifying for the 2024 Games in Paris in the 100m and 200m freestyle relay events.

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“Getting caught up in the moment, I got really frustrated and upset, but I kind of took that and I made sure to follow all my normal steps for recovery to make sure that I was ready for the two free,” Angove said.

Angove entered the final day of trials in Victoria knowing a top-four finish in the 200m freestyle final would secure her position on the Canadian women’s 200m freestyle relay team at worlds.

She placed third with a time of 1:59:07 to punch her ticket to Singapore.

“It was definitely just a big relief,” Angove said. “That’s kind of always the feeling in that moment. I looked up and I saw third next to my name and then I was just looking in the crowd for my coaches and my teammates, just kind of looking at them and crying a little.”

Angove will swim for Canada in the 200m freestyle relay at worlds and be ready to dive in as an alternate in the 100m freestyle relay, thanks to her fifth-place result in the 100m freestyle (55.17 seconds) at trials in Victoria.

“Definitely very honoured,” Angove said. “It’s something I’ve dreamed of for a long time. I went to Doha worlds last year, but it was kind of a weird worlds because of the Olympic cycle. A lot of people said no, so then I got bumped up. This is the first worlds where I feel like I’ve earned my spot.”

Three-time Olympic champion and four-time world champ Summer McIntosh is friends with Angove, a former teammate with the Sarasota Sharks for about 18 months.

Angove said McIntosh wished her luck during trials and sent her a message of congratulations after learning she qualified for worlds.

“She was just a great friend,” Angove said. “She was a great teammate, someone that you just want to be in the pool with. She pushes herself and she pushes the people around her and kind of brings the team up a level.”

Angove is having a breakout year.

In February, she won the first gold medal of her NCAA Division One career at the Big Ten Swim and Dive Championships.

The Ohio State Buckeyes’ rookie placed first in the 400-yard individual medley in a come-from-behind effort that helped cement her spots on the All-Big Ten First Team and the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.

Angove will fly to Japan in a few weeks for a Team Canada camp before going to Singapore for worlds.

“I’m just really proud to be Canadian and to get to wear the Maple Leaf across the world is really cool,” she said.