Whitehorse Glacier Bears swimmer Alexandra Gabor has just been named a Senior International carded athlete by Swimming Canada. Eligibility for the carding at this top level was based on a swimmer's performance at the 2009 World Aquatic Championships.

Gabor was on the relay team which finished in the top eight.

As well, her performance in the 200-metre freestyle event placed her in the top 50 in the world, qualifying her for funding at the elite level.

In general, the Athlete Assistance Program (carding) recognizes the commitment a swimmer makes to longer term training and competitive programs and seeks to relieve some of the pressures associated with participation in international sport. In particular, the A.A.P. provides financial assistance to Canadian high-performance swimmers to assist them in seeking out enhanced training opportunities intended to progress their performances. To this end, the assistance helps swimmers with their training and competition needs and goes directly to the swimmer.

The coach remains a critical component of the team and in conjunction with S.N.C. manages and directs the swimmers training plan. The A.A.P. is the only Sport Canada program to provide direct financial support for athletes.

Swimming Canada also announced today that it would be sending a team of 12 swimmers to the European leg of the F.I.N.A. World Cup of Swimming.

Gabor has been named one of those swimmers. She will compete in Stockholm, Sweden Nov. 10 to 11 and in Berlin, Germany Nov. 13 to 14.

"It's important that our swimmers stay involved on the world stage and compete with the best in the world, on their turf,” said Pierre Lafontaine, CEO and national coach for Swimming Canada.

"We've had some great performances last summer at world championships, and finishing off the season with some short course world records in Great Britain put us in a great state of mind to kick off this season with some fast swimming,” he said.

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