Hat swimmers compete at Westerns
Five Medicine Hat swimmers were in Victoria this past weekend for a very big meet.
The Western Canadian Championships gave Anna Nozewski and Aaron Kruger of the Medicine Hat Waves, and Delrae Vetter, Berlin Mastel and Emily Schlenker of the Alberta Marlin Aquatic Club a chance to test themselves against some of Canada’s best.
Nozewski, 18, nearly made the final in her 100 metre breaststroke. Her time of 1:17.63 was good for 10th. She was also 13th in the 200 breast and 24th in the 50.
Kruger, 14, only got to swim one event, the 50 metre freestyle. He placed 50th in a time of 26.90 seconds.
Vetter, 13, swam the most events out of the Hat group and set two huge personal bests, both of which made qualifying standards towards reaching nationals. Her time of 4:44.88 in the 400 metre freestyle was a new personal best by seven seconds, while her 9:43.30 in the 800 was a best by 14 seconds.
She also raced the 50, 100 and 200 free and the 100 breaststroke, though her best placement was 28th in the 800.
Fellow 13-year-old Mastel swam the 50 and 100 free, her best result 63rd in the 100. Schlenker, 15, was in the 50, 100 and 200 backstroke, taking 34th in the latter.
Dino Cup
AMAC also had 18 athletes at the Dino Cup in Calgary this past weekend.
The youth-focused meet was highlighted by 11-yearold Elliot Valk, who won the 200 metre freestyle, was second in 50 and 100 back, second in 100 individual medley and third in both the 100 free and 200 IM.
Other podium finishes came from Rowynn Biffart (second in 25 metre breaststroke) and Eleanor Nevin (third in 25 butterfly).
In all, Marlin swimmers totalled 98 personal bests.