The Cochrane Piranhas swim club has seen its swimmers bring home hardware from a couple of swim meets the past few weeks, helping the team round into form as it prepares for its own home meet in early July.
The Piranhas kicked off its 2025 swim season with meets in Didsbury and Okotoks earlier this month where several Piranhas made podium finishes.
At the Didsbury Aqua Jets Invitational on June 7, the combined men’s and women’s Piranhas finished in second place behind the Calgary Tritons. Nine Piranha’s ranging from eight years old to 15 or 17, both boys and girls, finished the Didsbury meet atop podiums and three of their relay teams won gold medals.
At the Okotoks Stingrays Invitational a week later, it was more of the same. Overall the Piranhas took home second place and seven different Piranha’s finished with a gold medal in at least one event.
“These swim meets were a full team effort and our swimmers had so many personal best times and awards,” reads a statement from the team. “The swimmers and coaches are looking forward to hosting our home swim meet.”
At the Swim Alberta Summer Festival in Lethbridge, the Piranhas' Meadow MacPherson won a bronze medal in the 100 metre breaststroke in the 12 and under all-stars category. MacPherson medalled against stiff competition made up of swimmers from across the province who qualified with exceptional swim times.
Isaac Thibodeau, another decorated Piranha, qualified for the 13 and up all-stars with his 100 metre breaststroke time as well, clocking in with a time of one minute and 12.95 seconds. With his time, Thibodeau is eligible to swim in the long course provincial championships in Edmonton, which are held from July 3 to 6.
Oliver Johnson, another member of the Cochrane team, also qualified for the Alberta Summer Swimming Association (ASSA) senior all-star team. Johnson was one of just 15 swimmers from across the province who qualified for the senior team, while MacPherson was one of 21 that made the junior all-star team.
Now the Piranha’s will get ready for their next opportunity to best their competition, but this time it will be in home waters. The Piranha’s home swim meet, the Cam Jaeger Memorial Swim Meet, will be held at the SLS Centre on Saturday, July 5.
