Morning Star Staff
The Vernon Kokanee Swim Club brought 49 swimmers and took third spot in a field of 14 teams at the Kelowna Snowfest Swim Meet last weekend.
The Kokanee compiled 2,332 points, only 400 back of the silver medal. Vernon recorded 290 best times, 14 gold medals, nine silver and 14 bronze at the H2O Adventure & Fitness Centre.
A club record was set in the Girls 14 and under 4×50 free relay by Cailee Weslowski, Kelsey Fillion, Alexandra Shortt, and Abbey Bartel in one minute, 57.65 seconds, beating a mark set in December.
Some excellent showings of note came from swimmers who were trying to make qualifying times for several provincial championships in February and March.
New qualifiers for the AA provincials, Feb. 12-14, in Penticton, are: Abbi Johnson in 100 and 200 breastroke for 12-13 girls; Abbey Bartel in 100 backstroke in 1:13.73 to her 50 freestyle; Thomas Mardiros added 50 and 100 breastroke to his 200 breastroke; Nicholas Phillips dropped seven seconds in 200 breastroke to add to his 1,500 free AA time; Cameron Shortt swam her 100 freestyle in 1:10.15 for her second AA time; Cailee Weslowski made her first AA time in 100 backstroke with a 1:14.94; Alexandra Shortt added to her Western Canadian qualifying times with a strong swim in the 200 breastroke in 2:43.15, shaving five seconds off her best time.
Johnson ended up with five gold, two silver and three bronze, while Mardiros, 11, posted four silver and one bronze. Alexandra Shortt, 14, produced one silver and four bronze.
Many other swimmers are close to making qualifying times for AA and AAA provincial meets and will be trying to get under those times Saturday at the Vernon Kokanee Winter Time Trials.
“After a couple of challenging days of racing the VKSC swimmers were still managing to come up with great swim races in the finals,” said head coach Steven Vander Meulen. “I really felt they gave their best efforts and that should pay off in future swim meets later in February and March.”
Meredith Leverson. 16, had a meet to remember in Kelowna with eight gold and one bronze, while Kelsey Fillion, 13, garnered eight gold, one silver and two bronze.
Ryan Murphy, 11, picked up one gold, three silver and one bronze, while Anika Kintzel, 16, struck gold once and Liam Williamson, 13, collected one silver and two bronze.
Zac Benn, 15, also bagged one silver and a pair of bronze, while Jonathan Heffner, 13, fashioned one bronze and one silver.
Tate Priebe, 15, Angela Zeng, 11, and Aidan McWhinney, 10, each earned bronze medals.
