The Shuswap Swimming Team came home with five medals, 11 team records, and one new Swim BC ‘AAA’ provincial qualifier from the Swim BC ‘AA’ Provincial Championships held in Kelowna on June 24 to 26.
There were more than 300 swimmers from 36 different teams from around B.C. and the Yukon attending.
• 12-year-old girls – Paige Coutlee was in great form at the meet, as she brought home a gold medal from her race in the 100-metre butterfly final in a time that qualified her to advance to the Swim BC ‘AAA’ Provincial Championships in Victoria on the July 7 to 10 weekend. Also at the meet was teammate Emma Pyle who raced very well at her first provincial championship meet, with her best placing as 11th in the 100-m breaststroke race. Coutlee and Pyle combined to break five team records.
• 11 and under boys – Olin Mosher raced very well at his first Swim BC Provincial Championship meet, as he advanced to the finals twice on the weekend, with his best result earning fourth place in the 11 and under boys 400-m individual medley race.
• 13-year-old boys – Logan Pilias had a great meet, as he added to the team medal count by bringing home a silver medal in the 50-m freestyle race, and a bronze medal in the 200-m backstroke. Also having a great meet was team mate Thomas Flahr who added two medals of his own to the team total by winning the bronze medal in the 50-m freestyle, and another bronze in the 100-m butterfly race. Pilias and Flahr combined for five more team records broken at the meet.
Relays:
14 and under boys – The 4 x 50m medley relay team of Pilias, Flahr, Mosher and Ty Webster-Locke raced valiantly as they picked up fourth place at the meet. The same boys also earned fifth place in the 4 x 50m freestyle relay, which they finished in record time.
This was the final meet of the season for most of the swimmers, and they represented the team exceptionally well. Coutlee will be joining three other Shuswap Swimming Team members at the Swim BC ‘AAA’ Provincial Long Course Championships in Victoria in July.
