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Van Beilen `happy' with fourth at Pan Am Games by Michael Gregory Metroland Media Group 17 | Thursday, July 23, 2015 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com A gutsy performance by Oakville swimmer Tera Van Beilen had her in medal contention for most of the race before she finished fourth in the Pan Am Games women's 100-metre breaststroke Friday night in Scarborough. The 22-year-old London Olympian was all smiles about her only individual event of the competition at the CIBC Pan Am/Parapan Am Aquatics Centre and said it was "one of the most fun races I've (ever) had...it's great to race at home. "It was a great and fun race," she said. "The pool was huge and people are cheering so loudly, so it's just been such a fun atmosphere." Her finishing time of 1:08.22 was around onetenth of a second slower than the preliminaries, but also slightly better than what she went at trials. "I'll take it and leave this meet and keep working hard," said Van Beilen, who will compete later this summer at the nationals in Montreal. United States swimmer Katie Meili, who set a Pan Am Games record in the morning session, won the breaststroke event in 1:06.26. Jamaica's Alia Atkinson took home silver in 1:06.59, and Canadian Rachel Nicol was the bronze medallist with a time of 1:07.91. "Breaststroke is one of those tough strokes where if you try harder, you don't always go faster," Van Beilen said, noting that going under 1:08 would have been a nice way to cap the meet. "It's finding the balance between finding that speed and that strong pull without thinking too much about it and trying too hard." A former Oakville Aquatic Club (OAK) member, Van Beilen currently trains in Vancouver where she attends the University of British Columbia and represents the UBC Dolphins. She was sick in the lead-up to the Pan Am trials in April, while also finding it hard to stay motivated in training. Being named to the Canadian team this summer sparked a passion again, she said. "I definitely struggled a bit for a couple months this year but I've found the enjoyment again," she said. "I'm leaving the pool happy and that's all that really matters to me. Winning and performances are definitely important too but you've got to be enjoying life." Earlier in the evening, OAK's Dominique Bouchard surged to third place heading into the turn of the 100m women's backstroke, but tired in the back half of the race and finished fourth. "I just really wanted to finish hard. I think I might have taken it out a little too quickly," she said. "I don't tend to do that in my races but I think the crowd just got me going." The 24-year-old North Bay native currently trains in the U.S. where she attends school at the University of Missouri. Bouchard won her first medal of the competition on Wednesday night, claiming a silver medal behind Canadian teammate Hilary Caldwell in the 200 backstroke, and later claimed silver in the 4x100 medley relay. -- For more local coverage of the Pan Ams, see pages 10, 13 and 22 2012 Olympian Tera Van Beilen swims to fourth place in the women's 100m breaststroke Friday at the Pan Am Games in Toronto. | photo by Nikki Wesley -- Oakville Beaver -- @Halton_Photog Interlocking Tumblestone, Retaining Walls, Garden Installation, Sodding & Excavating, Call for FREE Estimate plus more (905) 827-8158 · www.rogerslandscaping.org all new 2015 MEDIA PARTNER: MILTON FAIRGROUNDS July 31 - Aug 3 Flying Cortes Family UNDER THE BIG TOP $ 100 Off A pair of Prescription Glasses or Sunglasses orld The World Famous allendas Wallendas *Acts subject to change. BUY 2 FOR THE PRICE OF 1 SPECTACULAR CULAR MOMENTS ARE JUST A CLIC CLICK AWAY... 92 Dunn Street Downtown oakville lebeauoptical@gmail.com www. lebeauoptical.com www.shrine-circus.com DISCOUNT TICKETS WITH PROMO CODE: FUN 905-845-3621 NOTICE - DUE TO FACTORS BEYOND THE CONTROL OF THE CIRCUS, ITS PRODUCER, PRESENTER AND SALES AGENTS; PERFORmERS AND ACTS IN THE SHOW mAY DIFFER FROm THOSE PORTRAYED OR REPRESENTED AND THEREFORE WE ASSUmE NO LIABILITY FOR SUCH CHANGES.*