It was a golden weekend for the Shuswap Swimming Team, with Jake Kitchen returning home with five gold medals from the Swim BC AA Short Course Provincial Swimming Championships.
Held in Chilliwack Feb. 10-12, the team was among 38 from around B.C. and the Yukon who competed. Local swimmers were awarded a total of six medals at the championships.
• 11 and under girls – Morgan Rasmuson finished 11th in the 100-metre butterfly at her first provincial meet, also earning another AA qualifying time standard to her credit in the 200-m backstroke.
• 13-year-old girls – Paige Coutlee advanced to the finals in four races, claiming the bronze medal in the 50-m freestyle, and teammate Emma Pyle placed 11th in the 200-m breaststroke.
• 12-year-old-boys – Ty Webster-Locke advanced to the finals in the 50-m and 100-m freestyle, placing seventh in both and picking up the team record in the freestyle.
• 14-year-old boys – Logan Pilias finished ninth in the 200-m backstroke and broke four team records.
• 15 and older boys – Jake Kitchen dominated the field, winning gold medals in the 200-m individual medley, 100-m and 200-m backstroke and the 100-m and 200-m breaststroke races. Kitchen will advance to the Swim BC AAA Provincial level in the 100-m backstroke.