08/26/2026
Chena is wishing Raben a BIG congratulations on all his success this summer!
Raben will be joining us at the swim camp tonight to share his story and knowledge with our swimmers. For those of you who won’t be there and don’t know Raben… please read below to learn more about him and his incredible swimming journey.
Raben was a member of Chena from 2010-2019 and he still holds many of our club records. Since then, he has continued his swimming career at UBC and the Vancouver High Performance Centre.
Raben has represented Canada on the Senior National Team at the 2019 World Championships, where he placed 16th in the 5 km open water event, the 2023 Pan American Games, where he earned two bronze medals as part of Canada’s relay teams, and the 2024 World Championships, where he qualified for the semifinals of the 200 backstroke and finished 16th overall. At the 2024 Canadian Olympic Trials, Raben finished fourth in the 100 backstroke, and was just 0.32 seconds short of the Olympic qualifying standard.
This summer at the Canadian Trials in Montreal, Raben had an outstanding meet. He finished second in the 100 backstroke in a personal best of 53.79, putting himself under the qualifying standard for the Pan Pacific Championships. He also finished sixth in the 50 backstroke, setting a personal best of 25.64, and finished second in the 100 butterfly in 52.57, dropping more than a second from his previous personal best.
These results earned Raben a spot on Canada’s Senior Pan Pacific Championships team. At Pan Pacs, he made the A final of the 100 backstroke and finished seventh overall.
These results are incredible, but what is even more amazing is the journey Raben has taken to get here.
In 2025, Raben suffered a stroke caused by a congenital heart defect. He had to take time away from swimming to recover, but decided he had more left to accomplish in the pool. He returned to the sport and has since achieved some of the fastest swims of his career.
Raben is a true example of the Chena values. His passion and resilience demonstrate that with the right attitude, effort and perseverance, incredible things are possible.
Raben’s Chena family is so proud! 💚💚💚
