"You just keep working for it, trying your best all the time and if you fail, try again and even harder."

There are many stories that are shared about sibling rivalry.

You have likely heard about some of them where there is teasing and irritating comments that come from advising another when it’s not warranted, or the mind your own business debate, and even the dialogue that focusses on the blame factor. Those are just a few characteristics.

Let’s not forget the other conversations. The grateful ones that have siblings focussed on being successful, helping each other, strengthening relationships and the heartening moments about being pals in the journey through life.

Elijah (E.J.) and Elan (Lilly) Daley have likely had a taste of both sides of the teeter-totter correspondence, but their bond of respect for one another is as solid as concrete.

Both are superb swimmers, so much so that they are members of the High Performance Centre (HPC) based at the acclaimed Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre. Translation: both have the potential to compete for Canada in numerous championships with the ultimate dream being the Summer Olympic Games.

The HPCO develops swimmers to their potential by incorporating top notch coaching and support services in a variety of areas including sport science, along with a training and competition program that helps athletes enjoy success at the highest levels.

In short, you need to be very good to make it to an HPCO.

The Daley siblings, affiliated with the Etobicoke Swim Club, know it.

As Black athletes, both see themselves as role models for others. They already are leaders – and in many ways. Their story is part of a series launched by Swim Ontario that highlights athletes, coaches and officials who continue to celebrate diversity, inclusion, and equity in the sport across Canada’s largest province.

Far from cockiness, they are committed, focussed and steadfast in their swimming goals. Both were not only born in the picturesque island of Bermuda in the North Atlantic Ocean, but also have names with biblical meanings. Elijah is depicted as a prophet and miracle worker while Elan means vigorous, spirited, and enthusiastic. Those descriptions fit well with their attitudes and boldness as it relates to swimming.

No matter how you look at it, they are two individuals blessed with success when the talk is about swimming. Worth mentioning, is that they are also high school students with academic grades that are also in the exceptional category.

“We are both very fortunate to be doing so well, but nothing has come easy,” said Elan Daley, who is 18 years old and is the recipient of an athletic scholarship to the University of Florida in Gainesville. She’ll be studying health sciences.

“I believe that anyone can do anything, but it does require hard work. You just keep working for it, trying your best all the time and if you fail, try again and even harder. No excuses.”

While she may be settling in nicely in Florida, Elan Daley will also be prepping for a trip to Israel. She’s been selected as a member of the Canadian National Development team that will compete at the World Junior Swimming Championships from September 4 to 9 in the coastal community of Netanya.

A year younger, and in grade 11, Elijah hasn’t yet made up his mind about pursuing education and swimming in Canada or the United States. What he is sure of, is likely a career in law.

“I still have time to decide (about university), my focus now is to improve in the pool,” said Elijah, whose best performances have come in the 200-metre butterfly and individual medley. “Being at the HPC, with so many amazing athletes, you feel this extra energy to try harder and aim to do well.”

In the water, Elijah and Elan have already achieved great things in competitive swimming. Both hold national age class and open records in Bermuda. But drop the question about who’s the better swimmer in the family? After some hesitation, then acknowledging each other, the answer you get - their 22-year-old brother, Ethan.

“He’s really the inspiration,” said Elan, whose stroke specialty is freestyle and is the dominant female swim member of the family. “When we were younger, we saw him do so well - and caught the swimming bug. To be honest, for all of us, it also helped growing up in a country surrounded by water.”

Just a few months apart in age, and acknowledging to be good friends, Elan and Elijah have grown accustomed to cheering for each other in competitions. While Elan is hopeful everything clicks for her in time for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Elijah is taking more of a cautious outlook focussing on the Olympics four years later in Los Angeles.

“Our mom has always told us to do our best,” said Elan. “It has energized us a great deal and when we were invited to the HPC, it was a feeling of overwhelming gratitude. To be acknowledged means a great deal (to Elijah) and myself. There’s still lots of training and hard work to be done.”

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.