A total of 10 Vernon Kokanee Swim Club members collected a stash of medals and personal best times at the B.C. AA Long Course Championships at the H2O pool in Kelowna.
More than 300 athletes from 36 clubs from B.C. and Yukon competed in the event, jointly hosted by Vernon, Kelowna, West Kelowna, Summerland and Penticton clubs.
Competing in the Under 10 Swim Stars competition was eight-year-old Asia Minnes, who attained a bronze in the 50-metre breaststroke, setting a new Kokanee record in 43.64 seconds. She earned 12th overall in Swim Stars.
Also in Swim Stars, Jordyn Ross took bronze in 100-m backstroke, fifth in 400-m freestyle and sixth in both 100-m free and 200-m IM, resulting in an impressive sixth place overall.
Kaia Phillips, racing in the 13 girls division, struck gold in 100-m free, silver in 200-m back, 400-m free and 800-m free, bronze in 50-m free and 400-m IM, fourth in 100-m butterfly, and sixth in 200-m free.
In the Open girls class, Alison Hughes pocketed double-gold in 200-m butterfly and 400-m IM, silver in the 100-m fly, fourth in 200-m free and seventh in 100-m free. Hannah Mehain grabbed bronze in the 13 girls 200-m breaststroke, and fifth in 800-m free. Dara Wasylik shaved 16 seconds off her 11 girls 200-m free time.
On the boys side, Sean Manchester clocked personal best in each of his races, placing fourth in the 13 boys 200-m IM, fifth in 200-m breast, fifth in both 200-m back and 100-m breast, sixth in 100-m back, seventh in 200-m free and eighth in 100-m free.
Quaid Ondzik ranked fifth in the 14 boys 200-m IM, sixth in 200-m free and seventh in 100-m breast, 200-m breast and 200-m back. In other 14 boys action, Kenyon Neumann took bronze 200-m back, fifth in 100-m back, and eighth in both 200-m IM and 200-m breast.
Jaylen Grant recorded gold in Open boys 100-m and 200-m breast to go along with a seventh in 100-m fly.
The Kokanee boys medley relay team of Neumann, Manchester, Grant and Ondzik claimed silver in an exciting Open 200-m race.
Said Kokanee head coach Marc Tremblay: “It was fantastic to see the Kokanee swimmers doing so well at the meet. For all of them, this meet was the coronation of a great year of swimming. We won over 14 individual medals and it was a great sight to see our kids on top of the podium.”
