Piche quick for KWIC at provincials in Penticton
The Okanagan high-performance swim team known as KWIC sent 22 swimmers to the Tier l provincials in Penticton over the weekend, collectively earning 138 best times and placing fourth out of 31 teams.
Pierson Piche was the big medal winner for the weekend, bringing home a total of seven individual medals, including three gold (200 IM, 400 IM and 400 free) and four silver (100 back, 200 back, 100 free and 200 free).
On the girls’ side, Abigail Jerome was the big winner with three medals, including two gold (50 free and 100 fly) and one bronze (100 free). Jerome set a new club record in the 100 fly.
The girls’ 11-and-12 medley relay — consisting of Sydney Wilson (back), Meagan Corrigan (breast), Abigail Jerome (fly) and Kodi Wiman (free) — swam to a gold medal, while the free relay of Abigail Jerome, Sydney Wilson, Kodi Wiman and Kaleigh Reese swam to a silver medal.
The boys’ 12-and-13 medley relay with Pierson Piche (back), Flyn Huber (breast), Liam Collie (fly) and Daniil Savelev (free) swam to silver, and the free relay of Pierson Piche, Flyn Huber, Ethan Gray and Daniil Savelev swam to a gold medal.
Both the mixed medley relay of Pierson Piche (back), Kodi Wiman (breast), Abigail Jerome (fly) and Daniil Savelev (free) and mixed free relay of Pierson Piche, Daniil Savelev, Sydney Wilson and Abigail Jerome stood on top of the podium with gold-medal finishes.
Swimmers posting 100 per cent best times were Meagan Corrigan, Sarah Courtenay, Oliver Dickieson, Megan Frame, Megan Forrest, Sara Gray, Emily Jell, Pierson Piche and Sydney Wilson.
The youngest members of the team Dezi Ducheck and Aiden Kirk, both 10, swam to 100 per cent best times and both made finals in the 200 free. Ducheck also made finals in the 200 IM, taking off 12 seconds, while dropping 15 seconds in his 200 back and 53 seconds in his 400 IM.
Kirk set five new club records in the 50, 100 and 200 free, 100 back and 200 IM for boys’ 10-and-under.
Those who swam to just shy of 100 per cent best times were Liam Collie, Ethan Gray, Locke Finley, Flyn Huber, Abigail Jerome, Arlo Kast, Athina Merckx, Kaleigh Reese, Daniil Savelev, Noah Semashkewich and Kodi Wiman.
Big time drops were had by Meagan Corrigan, taking 12 seconds off her 200 breast and 13 off her 200 free; Sarah Courtenay dropped 22 in her 200 free and 10 in 200 IM; Oliver Dickieson took off 10 in his 400 free; Flyn Huber dropped 10 in his 400 IM; and Kodi Wiman took off 10 in her 100 back. Megan Forrest took 12 seconds off her 200 free; Sara Gray took 16 off her 400 free and 29 in her 400 IM; Emily Jell dropped 11 in her 200 free and 18 in her 200 back; Arlo Kast took 16 off his 200 fly and 22 in his 400 IM; Athina Merckx shaved 10 off her 200 free and 18 in her 400 IM; and Pierson Piche took 18 off his 400 IM. Daniil Savelev took off 12 in his 400 free, while Sydney Wilson dropped 10 in her 100 breast, 11 in her 200 free, 13 in her 200 IM and 19 in her 200 breast.
Swimmers achieving qualifying times for Tier ll provincials are Abigail Jerome, Daniil Savelev, Flyn Huber, Kodi Wiman, Meagan Corrigan, Pierson Piche and Sydney Wilson.