The new swimming season has only just begun, and the Columbia Shuswap Selkirk Swim Club has already started where they left off in July.
The club’s star swimmer, Finn Skofteby,13, was just announced to have made the Swim BC Provincial Team. Finn finished last season by achieving a provincial record in the 200-metre freestyle this July in Vancouver, B.C. He then went on to achieve four qualifying times to earn his place on the provincial team. Finn has also been selected by Swim BC to become part of their Prospects LA 28 Support Program (Los Angeles Olympics in 2028). This designation will be helpful for Finn and head coach Barry Healey to get assistance for travel and enhanced training services.
Finn has been invited to a training camp in Victoria as part of the Team BC. They will also receive support from Via Sport, based in Kamloops. The club has been able to produce great athletes over the years, with three swimmers competing for Canada at the international level. They now see another athlete starting on that long and exciting pathway.
The Selkirks club has also seen swimmers receive scholarships both in Canada and the USA. Finn was also one of the club’s athletes who recently attended a three-day swim meet Oct. 13-15, 2023 in Penticton. This was the first meet of the winter season and both Coach Barry Healey and Coach Greg Perkins were really impressed with the results over the weekend. The swimmer’s goals were to race hard, listen and try new race instructions, have fun and support their teammates.
The Selkirks returned home with multi-best times performances.
Read more: Shuswap’s Selkirks swim to success at BC Summer Divisionals
Read more: Salmon Arm’s Rick Say inducted into BC Swimming Hall of Fame
Finn and Nicola Louw (12) broke eight club records between them. Athletes also placing in the top three places were: Felix Leyenhorst (12) and McKenzie McKnight (12).
Coach Healey was also impressed by the swimmers who produced over 80 per cent of the best times at the meet in multi-events and strokes, every early in the season, Dane Bach (13), Marin Harwood (13), Annabel Louw (13), Oliva Norrie (12), Becca Perkins (11) and Benjamin Perkins (13).
The club is excited about the next wave of talent with a big group of kids making giant improvements at a fast rate as well as a full roster of beginner and junior swimmers.
The team now gets ready for a busy November with trips to Vernon and Kelowna, with some of the team taking part in the High School Regional Championships that was recently held in Salmon Arm on Sunday, Oct 29.
Submitted
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