Salmon Arm’s masters swimming team, the Waves, sent three swimmers to the annual provincial meet, April 22 to 24 at the Richmond Watermania complex.
Bob Wilkins, Scott McKee and Shelley Heggenstaller each picked up several medals and helped the Waves finish 12th overall.
Heggenstaller earned a silver in the 200-meter breaststroke, and two bronzes in the 400 and 800-m freestyle. McKee won silver in the 100 and 200-m freestyle, along with three bronze medals in the 50-m freestyle sprint, the 800-m freestyle and the 1500-m free.
Wilkins, now 68, has previously held age-group provincial records, including a record in the 400-m Individual Medley(IM) – the sport’s toughest event. Wilkins won gold again this year in the 400-m IM and added a silver in the 200-m breaststroke. Then came bronze in the 400 and 800-m freestyle races.
All the competitors admired the fitness and dedication of Alfred Schulof of North Vancouver. Schulof, now 97, swam the 50-m breaststroke and the 50-m backstroke, as well as two team relays for his North Shore Masters Club.
Betty Brussel of Kelowna, at age 92, was the senior woman at the venue and won six golds in her age group.
Waves head coach Barry Healy was pleased with the Waves’ showing, and acknowledged the meet was just one element of the many successes the club has enjoyed this past year.
The masters swimming season continues through June with the potential to participate in the Canadian National Masters event in Toronto in late May.
The Waves offer workouts and coaching up to five days a week at the Salmon Arm Recreation Centre for adult swimmers of any ability. Next year’s provincial championship will be held in Kelowna in April of 2017.
