Next Wave Up and Coming Swimmers Series

We are proud to spotlight a group of up and coming para swimmers and 14 & Under swimmers who are making their mark within the TAG (Top Age Group) Rankings across Canada. Recognized through the leadership and support of the Canadian Swim Coaches Association (CSCA), these athletes represent the next wave of Canadian swimming excellence.

As we launch this series, we celebrate the coaches, clubs, and families who support these swimmers — and we look forward to following their journey as they continue to rise within Canada’s performance pathway.

They are often referred to as golden opportunities.

Some people, and Luke Hammond is one of them, see it as memorable times in a person’s life.

Just 14 years old, Hammond has his stories, dreams, experiences and predictions. There’s far too many to put in this story, maybe in a book if he chooses that route one day. However, there are some we will share about this talented and inspirational young man.

These days, you’ll find Hammond experiencing life as a high school student. Now in grade 9 at Toronto’s Silverthorn Collegiate, he’s also in the school’s High Performer Program - an academic course of study for students who are elite athletes involved in provincial, national or international competition.

Like most youngsters who dream of professional sports, Hammond had his period of hoping to play major league baseball. That didn’t last long when he developed a fondness, maybe even an infatuation, to a total body exercise that improves cardiovascular health, boosts muscle strength, and enhances flexibility.

Yes, it’s known as one of the oldest sports in Olympic competition – swimming.

Hammond broke from the sports we hear about all year round. For him, things changed – and he hasn’t looked back.

Maybe there were some signs in those early toddler days, of learning how to swim, that showed promise for more exciting times and what would become enjoyment, enthusiasm and success at the competitive level.

Memories remain crystal clear of his first big water event – the 4 x 100-metres medley relay in Burlington. Hammond started the race with the backstroke and then watched his teammates finish the event by swimming their laps to a bronze medal. Then came the special trip to the podium that he will never forget.

It was a proud moment. His determination, that desire to win, and the important task of teamwork. It’s a reminder of those early days – especially when he glances at that first medal hanging in his room.

Hammond, a member of the Lakeshore Swim Club, has come a long way – and in a short span of time. For him, confidence matters - and rest assured that Hammond has lots of it.

Check these numbers out before determining how Hammond is in water.

Current statistics highlighting swimmers in their respective top age categories across Canada have Hammond looking quite imposing. Maybe, let’s use the word – grandiose.

In the 400-metres free, Hammond is ranked second for his age group in the country, and third in the 800. Zoom in to the 200-metres and he’s clocked as the fourth best while he is regarded fifth best over 1,500-metres.

Missing is his top-level finishes and all the gold medals. Okay, that comes with more training and making sure everything is perfect at the right time.

“For me, what is important is improving in water – the strokes, the speed, the timing,” said Hammond, particularly proud of his personal best and gold medal time of four minutes, 11.47 seconds in the 400-metres at the 2026 Ontario Age Group meet in Markham.

“To be honest, I really do think I can go faster,” said Hammond, whose audacity and optimism are hard to displace.

Hammond is also tinkering with his future. He’s working hard and hoping to secure an athletic scholarship to a major university or college – one with an elite swim program in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

A very sociable kind of individual, Hammond has a contagious happy-go-lucky approach.

Ambitious and energized, Hammond attributes a great deal of his success to people who may get over shadowed – his family, teammates and coaches. Getting to and from training, critical practices, numerous meets and the thrilling championships, has been a monumental task for his parents.

“They’ve been great – always there for me and it’s appreciated,” said Hammond, who clocks in at about 15 hours a week of in water and dryland training.

With achievements and accomplishments come challenges including situations of risk taking, distress and unexpected scenarios.

For instance, there was the time – as a 13-year-old – that he broke a bone in his left foot. It happened during a school gym class, when a friend accidentally fell on his foot. A few weeks of crutches was less painful than missing out on time in the water.

As an athlete with huge potential and destined to represent Canada internationally, Hammond has earned a spot in Swimming Canada’s National Development Program.

At the 2025 Ontario Swimming Championships hosted at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (TPASC), Hammond won a gold medal in the 800-metres freestyle. His time was second all-time in the province for 13-year-old boys. As for upcoming challenges and a look into the future, we’ll take a pause for now and await the results.

David Grossman is a veteran multi award-winning Journalist and Broadcaster with some of Canada’s major media, including the Toronto Star and SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN, and a Public Relations professional for 50+ years in Canadian sports and Government relations.