Baumann siblings follow in famous dad's lane
Ashton, Tabitha looking to add to family's Olympic legacy
They may be young, but Tabitha Baumann and her older brother Ashton have already become accustomed to long-haul flights together.
Once a year both swimmers fly from their training base in Australia to somewhere in Canada for a swim trials, such as this week's Canadian Olympic and Para-swimming Trials in Toronto.
"I'm pretty sure that me and my sister are the only ones who live on the other side of the world and compete for Canada," said Ashton Baumann.
Ashton, 23, and Tabitha, 20, train near the Gold Coast region of Australia and while they were both born Down Under and hold citizenship there, they've always represented Canada.
Ashton first competed on the senior swim team at the 2011 Pan Am Games, Tabitha followed in 2014, qualifying for the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships.
While their mom Tracey (a former swimmer) provided the Australian roots, it is dad Alex Baumann who gave them their famous last name. Alex Baumann, now 51, was a double swimming gold medallist at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He has held high-ranking sport offices in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
Ashton and Tabitha have lived in all three countries — Australia and back again, with stops in Canada, then New Zealand. They've both become adept to sleeping on the plane, although Ashton quips his sister is sometimes a victim of little pranks like an old-fashioned, face-drawing once she nods off.
"Tab absolutely loves to laugh," said Ashton, noting how much he enjoys bringing light to situations. "She's not as funny as I am, obviously."
While injuries have hindered Ashton over the past two years, he qualified for the Rio Olympics on Thursday night by winning the men's 200-metre breaststroke, his best event, at the Canadian trials in Toronto.
He tied for third in the 100 breaststroke on Tuesday, but only swimmers finishing first or second in each event and who meet the Olympic qualifying time clinch a berth for Rio.
Tabitha, who raced at the 2015 Pan American Games last season, was seventh in the 400-metre freestyle at the Canadian trials but still awaits her best chance to qualify for Rio — the 800 freestyle on Saturday.
"It's great to have someone that knows what I'm going through in terms of jet lag and wanting to make the team," said Tabitha, with a mostly Australian intonation.
Living in three different countries has given them both a unique sound.
"It's definitely a mix, I mean people here think I have a full Australian accent and people in Australia think I have a full Canadian accent, which is ridiculous but it's definitely a mix," she said.
They flew to Ottawa, which was home while living in Canada, for two weeks before the Canadian trials meet to acclimatize.
While their lives have crossed oceans, swimming has always returned them to Canada.
"We started swimming in Canada, and y'know, I made my first Canadian team and that kind of cements you into the program," said Ashton.