The Cochrane Piranhas Swim Club is heading to Provincials in Edmonton on Friday after a strong showing at the 2016 Region E Regional Championships.
Held on Aug.13 and 14 at the Talisman Centre in Calgary, the event had 333 swimmers take part, with the Piranhas sending 31 swimmers to compete. Many picked up personal best performances.
Ben Barclay continued to dominate the boys (ages nine and 10) category with a gold medal in the 25m short butterfly, 50m long backstroke, and 50m long fly events, securing his place at provincials. He also picked up a bronze in the 100m short individual medley competition.
Kaitlyn Eiserman also secured her spot in Edmonton, with a silver medal in the girls (ages seven and eight) 25m freestyle event, and a bronze in the 25m fly.
Eli Fitzsimmons also picked up a bronze in the in the boys (ages seven and eight) 25m backstroke event.
Nicole Gross finished in third place for the girls (ages 13 and 14) 50m fly event, while her older sister Stephanie earned a silver medal in the grueling girls (under-17) 1,500m freestyle.
Jordyn Johnson put her name on the ticket to provincials with a gold medal in the girls (under-12) 400m freestyle event, as well as a silver medal in the 100m freestyle contest. She also managed to pick up a brace of bronzes in the 50 and 200m freestyle competitions.
Savanna Knisley placed second in the girls (ages seven and eight) 25m backstroke and third in the 25m freestyle event.
Max Kruger managed to book his trip to Edmonton with a second place showing in the boys (under-12) 50m short breaststroke and 100m in the long breaststroke events.
Zachary Michalski also had an excellent meet despite a tough field of competition in the boys (ages 15 to 17) category, finishing with a silver medal in the boys 200m long individual medley event, and a couple of bronzes in the 100m long free and 200m distance free events.
His younger sister Bria managed to pick up a silver medal in the girls (ages 11 and 12) 50m breaststroke competition.
Sarah Nusl was another of the lucky ones to make provincials, continuing her stellar season form with a gold in the girls (ages 13 and 14) 50m and 100m freestyle events along with second in the 50m short backstroke.
Connor Swedlo bagged a gold medal in the boys (ages 15 to 17) 50m short backstroke, and silver in the 100m long backstroke competition.
His younger brother Eric also had an excellent meet, solidly qualifying for provincials, with first place in 4 preliminary swims and gold medals in the boys (ages 13 and 14) 50m and 100m breaststroke events, and in the 50 and 100m freestyle competitions.
Several relay teams also managed to qualify for the big showdown in Edmonton by virtue of their performances at the Talisman Centre.
The boys (under-17) team of Jake Barclay, Zachary Michalski, and the Swedlo brothers placed second in both the 200m medley relay and 200m freestyle competitions.
The boys (under-10) team of Quinn Fitzsimmons, Owen Johnsen, Keegan Lewko, and Aaron Swedlo also managed to bag a silver medal in the 100m freestyle event.
The team of Johnson, Nusl, Nicole Gross, and Kennedy Michalski nabbed third in the girls (under-14) 200m medley relay and bronze in the 200m freestyle competition.
In the under-eight category, Eiserman, Knisley, Eli Fitzsimmons, and Aeden Carnegie picked up a bronze medal in the mixed relay event.
In the boys (under-12) group, Bryson Hammer, Levi Lewko, Ben Barclay, and Max Kruger placed third in the 200m freestyle competition.
The mixed team of Ben Barclay, Bria Michalski, Max Kruger, and Catherine Swedlo also managed to place third in the 200m medley relay contest.
The team will now be training throughout the week in Cochrane before provincials start on the weekend.
