Cheuk Yuen Victoria Poon (Chinese name 潘卓源)[1] (born October 12, 1984) is a Canadian competitive swimmer who specialises in freestyle events. She was born in Hong Kong.[2] She moved to Canada when she was 11 years old.[3] She lives in the LaSalle borough[4] of Montreal, Quebec.[5] She is the former national record holder in the women's 50m freestyle, with a time of 24.75s.[6]

Victoria Poon
Personal information
Full nameCheuk Yuen Victoria Poon
National team Canada
Born (1984-10-12) October 12, 1984 (age 39)
Hong Kong
Height1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight73 kg (161 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClubPiscines du Parc Olympique
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing Canada
World Championships (LC)
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Kazan 4×100 m mixed freestyle
Pan Pacific Championships
Silver medal – second place 2006 Victoria 4x100 m free relay
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Melbourne 4x100 m freestyle relay
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Glasgow 4×100 m freestyle relay

Career edit

Poon's long time swim club has been the Club de natation Calac de LaSalle.[3]

In 2005, Poon set the Canadian national record for women's 50-metre freestyle, at 25.52 seconds.[7]

Poon competed at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, and won a bronze with the Canadian team in the women's 4x100-metre freestyle relay.[3]

In the April 2008 Canadian Olympic Trials, Poon lowered her Canadian record for women's 50-metre freestyle to 25.47 seconds, which she has set in 2005.[7] At the 2008 Canadian Summer Open Nationals, she finished 3rd in the women's 50m freestyle event, behind Jennifer Carroll (2nd) and Jen Beckberger (1st).[8]

Poon competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics and finished 30th in the women's 50-metre freestyle event.[5][9]

In 2009, Poon set the women's 50-metre freestyle Canadian record at 24.75 seconds.[6] On 19 June 2009, Poon set a new Canadian record for the women's 50m butterfly, of 26.71s, at the Canada Cup of swimming; besting the record set Shona Kitson in 2000 of 27.17s. At that time, Poon was coached by Benoît Lebrun, of the Club de natation des piscines du Parc olympique (CNPPO; literally, Olympic Park Swimming Pools Swim Club).[10]

At the 2010 Canada Cup of Swimming, short course, Poon won gold for the women's 100-metre freestyle, and 50-metre butterfly. At the time, she was also the Canadian national record holder for those two events.[11]

At the 2010 World Swimming Championships, short course, Poon set and then bettered the Canadian national record for women's 100-metre freestyle. She set a new record on 16 December 2010 of 52.76 seconds in the semi-finals. On December 17, 2010, in the finals, she reset it to 52.51 seconds, and managed to finish fifth.[12] In the 50m freestyle, she lowered her own Canadian record to 29.14s. She ended with a 7th-place ranking.[3]

In the March 2011 Canadian World Championship Trials, Poon finished second, behind Julia Wilkinson, in the women's 100m freestyle race.[13]

Poon competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics and finished 16th in the women's 50-metre freestyle event.[6]

Personal bests edit

Event Data Date Meet Notes
50m freestyle (short course) 29.14s December 2010 2010 World Swimming Championships, short course Canadian Record [3]
50m freestyle 25.52s 2005 Canadian Record [7]
50m freestyle 25.47s April 2008 Canadian Olympic Trials Canadian Record [7]
50m freestyle 24.75s 2009 Canadian Record [6]
50m butterfly 26.71s June 19, 2009 2009 Canada Cup of Swimming Canadian Record [10]
100m freestyle (short course) 52.76s December 16, 2010 2010 World Swimming Championships, short course Canadian Record [12]
100m freestyle (short course) 52.51s December 17, 2010 2010 World Swimming Championships, short course Canadian Record [12]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ (in Chinese) tor.worldjournal.com, "潘卓源 目標游進前八" Archived 2012-07-28 at the Wayback Machine, 張耀仁, 27 July 2012
  2. ^ Cheuk Yuen Victoria Poon
  3. ^ a b c d e (in French) Le Messager Lasalle, "Victoria Poon s'illustre aux championnats du monde à Dubaï", Pierre Boulanger, December 20, 2010
  4. ^ (in French) Le Messager Lasalle, "Victoria Poon se qualifie pour la demi-finale", 3 August 2012
  5. ^ a b (in French) Le Journal de Montreal, "Victoria Poon se qualifie pour les demi-finales au 50 mètres style libre", QMI, August 3, 2012
  6. ^ a b c d (in French) La Presse (Montreal), "Victoria Poon, 16e : «Donne-moi la varicelle et je pourrais nager plus vite que ça»", Simon Drouin, August 4, 2012
  7. ^ a b c d (in English) Swimming World, "Canadian Trials: Three National Records Set on Final Night", April 6, 2008
  8. ^ (in English) Swimming World, "Canadian Summer Open Nationals: Meet Takes Final Bow", July 20, 2008
  9. ^ CAN Records Long Course
  10. ^ a b (in French) La Presse (Montreal), "Victoria Poon bat le record canadien au 50 m papillon", Canadian Press, June 19, 2009
  11. ^ (in French) La Presse (Montreal), "Victoria Poon remporte deux médailles d'or à la Coupe Canada de natation", Canadian Press, November 26, 010
  12. ^ a b c (in French) La Presse (Montreal), "Victoria Poon améliore son record canadien au 100 m libre", Canadian Press, December 17, 2010
  13. ^ (in English) Swimming World, "Canadian World Championship Trials: Jillian Tyler, Brent Hayden Perform Well ", March 31, 2011