The Salmon Arm Sockeyes had a phenomenal last meet of the season, heading to Richmond last weekend for the B.C. Summer Swimming Association Provincial Aquatic Championships. The Sockeyes, who sent 39 swimmers, placed fifth overall out of 59 teams competing.
The team had 14 individual medallists. Keeya Corbett earned herself a bronze medal in division-one girls’ 50-metre butterfly. Jamie Trow swam his way to a gold medal in the division-one boys’ 50-m freestyle and bronze in 50-m backstroke.
In division-two girls, Chantel Jeffrey took home silver in the 50-m butterfly. Stephen Moore earned gold in both the 100-m individual medley and the 50-m breaststroke, as well as bronze in the 50-m butterfly for division-two boys.
Jaeden Izik-Dzurko earned himself two bronze medals, in division-three boys’ 100-m individual medley and 50-m backstroke.
Tricia Fair swam her way to a silver medal in division-four girls’ 100-m backstroke and a bronze in the 50-m butterfly. Alexander Corbett earned his first individual provincial medal in division-four boys’ 200-m individual medley.
Eliza Jane Kitchen swam her way to two medals in division-five girls, a silver in the 100-m breaststroke and bronze in the 200-m individual medley. Brayden Gilliam swam to a gold medal in the boys’ division-five 100-m butterfly and silver in the 50-m butterfly.
Reta Stevenson fought her way to a bronze medal in division six girls’ 100-m butterfly. Carmen Underhill earned herself a silver medal and a best time in division six girls’ 100-m breaststroke. Jake Kitchen earned his first gold provincial medal in the division-seven boys’ 100-m breaststroke. Kitchen also earned silvers in the 200-m individual medley and the 100-m backstroke. Bree Cooper earned gold medals in all four of her races, and coach Jordyn Konrad contributed to the count.
The Sockeyes had nine relay teams earn medals. Matthew Bushell, Eric Moore, Jamie Trow and Connor Levins were on the division-one boys’ medley relay team earning silver. The division-one boys’ freestyle relay team consisting of Jamie Trow, Matthew Bushell, Connor Levins and Rowan Trow, earned bronze.
Chantel Jeffrey, Megan Hart, Aria Izik-Dzurko and Emma Levins made up the division-two girls’ medley and freestyle relay teams that swam their way to silver medals. The division-two boys’ medley relay team consisting of Sunny Pickup, Tyler Bushell, Stephen Moore and Nicholas Lourens earned silver.
Division-three boys’ medley and freestyle relays earned gold and silver respectively. The team consisted of Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, Gaelyn Gilliam, Matt Cooper and Matthew Nesdoly.
Tricia Fair contributed to the division-eight girls’ relay teams, along with Bree Cooper and two Sockeye coaches. Division-eight earned bronze for their medley relay and silver for their freestyle relay. A handful of Sockeyes also contributed to medals on their regional relay teams, made up of the fastest swimmers in each division throughout the region. Chantel Jeffrey was a member of the division-two girls’ regional team, earning gold. Stephen Moore, Tyler Bushell and Sunny Pickup were all on the silver medal winning division-two boys’ regional relay team. Carmen Underhill and Reta Stevenson contributed to the division-six girls’ bronze medal, while Jake Kitchen helped the division seven boys’ regional team take bronze.