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Annamay Pierse tries to bounce back again in Olympic qualification trials this week
Most athletes' careers may have ups and downs of some sort, but Annamay Pierse's looks like Space Mountain. After long years in the wilderness, 2007 saw the swimmer set a Canadian record in her speciality, the 200-metre breaststroke, 2008 saw her compete in the Beijing Olympics, and she set a world record in the 200m breaststroke in 2009. Her time at the top didn't last long, however; the 28-year-old Canadian still holds that record, but contracted dengue fever in 2010 and struggled in the event at the 2011 worlds, finishing last. As Randy Starkman of The Toronto Star writes, it's an open question how Pierse will do at this week's Canadian Olympic trials, but the swimmer herself is optimistic:
There's speculation over which Pierse is going to show up: The fighter who'll battle for every metre or the swimmer who looked tapped out last year at the worlds?
"I think I'm at the good part of the rollercoaster, where you're coasting and it's fast and fun, none of the scary ups and downs," she said.
It's suggested to the 28-year-old from Edmonton that she's had enough of the latter.
"To last a lifetime," she responds.
The ups and downs of competition are one thing, but battling a life-theatening disease is something else entirely. As Starkman writes, that's been the toughest part for Pierse, who contracted dengue fever at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India:
The most painful ordeal physically was dengue fever, nicknamed the bone crusher because it leaves the sufferer feeling as if every single bone in their body has been broken.
"It was the most painful eight weeks of my life," she said. "You have a fever of like 104 for the first four or five days. I got covered in this rash because my blood was like boiling under my skin. My nose kept bleeding. My mouth kept bleeding. You have a good chance of bleeding to death."
The effects of the fever went well beyond the physical, too, as Pierse struggled with depression for a year afterwards. With the help of some advice from massage therapist Eugene Liang, though, she started seeing a psychologist, and now says she's back in a good place mentally. That could be bad news for the rest of the field, as a dominant Pierse can be a world-beater. Here's video of her setting her world record in 2009 at the Canadian national championships:
It's not going to be an easy task for Pierse, though. The field is full of some impressive names, including 2011 world bronze medallist Martha McCabe (who trains with Pierse at UBC). Pierse may be facing tough odds, but she's beat them before, both in and outside of the pool. We'll see if she can repeat that performance this week.
The Canadian Olympic swimming trials start Tuesday night at 7 p.m. Eastern on Sportsnet One.
