The Creston Wave Swim Club just completed its hardest training week of the year in preparation for upcoming regional and provincial competitions. On July 28 and 29, 19 of Creston’s swimmers attended the Kimberley swim meet. The meet was Olympic-themed and the Creston Waves represented team Australia. The club placed sixth in overall points out of nine cities in the region.
Anita Bjarnason took nearly five seconds off of her 200-metre individual medley (IM) and placed in the top 3 in the Div. 6 girls 50m freestyle and 100m breaststroke. Div. 2 girl Amber Hare raced fast, obtaining four best times and a top 10 finish in her 100m IM. Caytlyn Luke of Div. 3 took an incredible 21.67 seconds off of her 100m freestyle.
Jessica Mickelson competed in her first swim meet in Div. 1 girls and placed 12th in the 100m freestyle and 13th in the 50m freestyle. Her sister, Kaleigh Mickelson, obtained five personal bests and placed 11th in the 100m IM and 50m fly. Nicholas Mottl took nearly 20 seconds off of his 200m IM and placed in the top three in all six of his Div. 7 boys events. Carter Pelly got best times in four of her races and placed first in five out of six of her Div. 2 events. Kylee Pemberton showed vast improvement after working hard during the previous week, taking off 7.38 seconds in her 50m breaststroke and getting best times in four other races.
Hayden Persad smashed time off of three Div. 1 races and swam fast against older competitors in a Div. 6 relay. His brother, Isaiah Persad, slashed 17.95 seconds off of his 50m butterfly and placed in the top eight in five of his races. Sister, Nadine Persad, got best times in two of her races and placed second in novice girls 25m butterfly.
Mack Sanderson started each race with a powerful dive, getting best times in three races and placing in the top 10 in four races. His sister, Regan Sanderson, got best times in two of her races and placed in the top 10 in five out of six of her Div. 2 girls events.
Emily Simpson took 2.06 seconds off of her 100m butterfly and placed first in her Div. 5 girls 100m breaststroke. Like his sister, Kieran Simpson also placed first in Div. 6 boys 100m breaststroke and he also took time off in 50m freestyle and 100m backstroke. Sierra Simpson took time off in three races and placed fourth in both Div. 2 girls 50m fly and 50m breaststroke.
Janie Viola got two personal bests and placed fifth in her 50m backstroke. She and Isaiah Persad also represented Creston in an Olympic-themed obstacle course around the Kimberley Aquatic Centre.
Coach Monique Ares slashed 1.83 seconds off of her Div. 8 women’s 100m freestyle and placed second in her 100m freestyle and 100m fly. Coach Kevin Woykin got two personal bests in Div. 8 men’s 50m freestyle and 100m fly and also placed third in the 100m backstroke.
Medal winners from Kimberley included Pelly (gold), Mottl (bronze), Kieran Simpson (bronze), Emily Simpson (bronze) and Ares (bronze).
— CRESTON WAVE SWIM CLUB
