Two Terrace Bluebacks swam their way to provincials and have not returned home empty-handed.
Brittany Alfred and Anke deWit both went to the BC AA Championships, hosted by the Chilliwack Spartan Swim Club, Feb. 11 to 13.
The girls travelled with 12 other swimmers from Points North, which is a combination of Prince Rupert, Kitimat, Terrace and Smithers swim clubs. They were accompanied by the Kitimat Marlins head coach Jason Cathers.
“The swimmers did fantastic,” Cathers said, pointing out that a lot of competitors from the northwest region scored personal best times.
For deWit, who has been in the Bluebacks’ swim club for eight years, it was her second time at provincials.
DeWit managed to best her time in three of her eight events. She also won a silver medal swimming in a relay with other Points North swimmers.
“It was really fun,” said deWit. “It’s a bigger meet so there is more challenge.”
According to Cathers, the meet had around 390 swimmers from everywhere in the province.
Alfred has been a Blueback swimmer for four years, and it was her second time at provincials as well.
Alfred took 7th overall in the province for her category of 10 and under swim stars, which was in the more competitive AAA level. She also bettered her time in five out of her eight swims.
“I like provincials, there are a lot of people and it’s really fun to meet new people,” Alfred said.
Cathers said a highlight for the athletes was going to the University of British Columbia (UBC) and meeting swimmers from the Thunderbirds swim club, which he said is one of the best in the country.
As well as meeting the Thunderbird swimmers and their head coach, Points North competitors got a tour around the UBC swimming facility.
Both Alfred and deWit qualified for provincials at the Blueback’s recent northwest regional swim meet held in Terrace at the end of January.
To qualify swimmers must be under a standard time for their age group. The time is set by Swim BC.
None of the Points North swimmers qualified for nationals, although some did score times that have pre-qualified them for the next provincial swim meet.
