A group of Columbia Shuswap Selkirks Swimmers made a splash at the Senior Open Meet held in Surrey this weekend.
The Senior Open Meet is the highest level of provincial championships in B.C. during the winter. It is also one of the few meets chosen by Swim BC to select their B.C. team for the Canada Games. The 2017 Canada Games are in Winnipeg in August.
The meet is one of the few chances swimmers have to make times to qualify for the Commonwealth and World Junior Championships, the National Age Groups and Senior Nationals and the Western National Championships.
The group that travelled to Surrey on the weekend is the largest team the Selkirks have taken to this high-level meet.
“With members of the Canadian Olympic teams and National teams racing, the atmosphere was electric. Trial meets always are faster and more stressful than other meets,” said Selkirks Head Coach Barry Healey.
Chantel Jeffery, 15, made four new world trial times and a few more national age group times.
Over the weekend Jeffery won three events in the 15 to 16 year age group, breaking the club records in all events. Topping off the swims was Jeffery’s 800-metre freestyle in the open age group in which she set a new club record of 9.06.0 and was just three seconds off the winner.
“Molly Fogarty, 15, swam an amazing 800 free on Sunday night, dropping from a best time of 9.44.5 to a super time of 9.30.0. This super time qualifies Molly for Age Group Nationals in Toronto in the summer,” Healey said.
Fogarty also placed seventh in the Senior 800 m free, sixth in the 400 m freestyle and ninth in the 400 m Individual Medley.
“Maggie Manning, who swims in the Para-Olympic events, has made brilliant improvements in her training and racing, according to Swim BC staff,” Healey said.
Manning showed that improvement in her racing on the weekend. Trying to make the Canada Games team, Maggie swam her way to several best times, won two events and placed second in three more.
All Manning’s events were club records.
Manning made the Olympic trial finals last year and is aiming for the 2020 Olympics.
Ethan Skofteby was not letting his female teammates get all the lime light. He took off over 45 seconds of his 1500-metre time to qualify for Age Group Nationals and also made Nationals in the 50 free and 100 backstroke .
The 1500 qualification also means Skofteby qualifies for the five-kilometre open-water races.
The Selkirk men’s relays were in great form, placing second in the medley relay and third in the 4x100 metre freestyle relay.
Over the weekend, best times were also posted by Mattew Nesdoly, Ethan Quilty and Torrey McKee.