The Shuswap Swimming Team took four swimmers on their first trip to the Swim BC ‘AAA’ Long Course Provincial Championships in Victoria on the July 7 to 10 weekend. More than 600 swimmers took part in the meet, ranging from young swimmers at their first AAA provincial swim meet, to those swimmers who are former Olympic swimming competitors.
The four swimmers had a great meet, as they squared off against the best in the province and, in the end, each athlete came home with at least one new team record, with two swimmers advancing to race in the finals, and with one swimmer qualifying to race at the Canadian Age Group National Championships.
On the girls side:
• 12-year-old girls – Paige Coutlee was representing the team at this her first AAA swim meet, and she raced well, as she ended up in 17th place in the 100-metre butterfly, while her fast swimming in the 200-m Individual Medley saw her eclipse the team record by five seconds.
• 13-year-old girls – Bree Cooper had a great meet, as she advanced to the finals and was fifth place in both the 100-m butterfly and 100-m freestyle races. Her time in the 100-m butterfly was fast enough to qualify her to compete at this summer’s Canadian Age Group National Championships to be held in Montreal, Que. on the July 27 - Aug. 1 weekend. This is the first time that a member of the Shuswap Swimming Team has qualified for the Canadian Age Group Nationals.
Cooper also was on pace in most of her races for fast swimming as she broke team records in five individual races at the meet.
• 16-and-older girls – Chelsea Stadnyk, 17, had a good meet, as her best race result came in the 200-m butterfly where she ended up in 17th place.
Stadnyk had some great swims and broke three team records of her own along the way.
On the boys side:
• 12-year-old boys – Ethan Quilty was the lone male on the team to qualify for the meet, and he rose to the occasion nicely as he advanced to the finals of the 100-m breaststroke, and earned sixth place in the effort.
Quilty’s other swims were also pushing the record books as he earned five of his own team records at the meet.