More impressive results for KWIC
The Kelowna-West Kelowna Integrated Club (KWIC) had two big swimming meets over the last couple weeks.
The first saw four swimmers attending the Canadian Trials in Edmonton, with Axana Merckx making a final in the 400 IM. Molly Hill, Andrea Kraetzer and Patrick Waters also had strong swims at the meet.
KWIC then sent nine to the Canadian Junior Nationals in Winnipeg this past weekend. The small team placed 20th out of 146 teams and swam to 14 best times.
Kraetzer was the only medal winner, standing at the top of the podium with gold in the 50 free. She also had the highest points for the team, with 74, thanks to making finals in the 100 free and 200 breast.
Kraetzer also broke two of her own club records in the 50 and 100 free, while swimming to best times in all those events.
Merckx swam to 50 points by making finals in the 200 and 400 IM, 100 and 200 breast. Merckx also swam to best times in the 100 and 200 breast.
Erin Epp swam to 33 points for the team and made finals in the 200 and 400 IM, 100 breast and 50 free. Epp swam to a best time in the 50 free.
The girls’ medley relay consisting of Merckx (back), Epp (breast), Hill (fly) and Kraetzer (free) placed eighth.
Nathaniel Hees swam to 100 per cent best times and took eight seconds off his 800 free.
Georgia Pengilly swam to a best time in her 100 back. Others who had strong swims were Taylor Smith, Matthew MacDonald and Harold Yick.
Meanwhile, in other swimming news, former Kelowna AquaJet, Josh Zakala, has earned Academic All-American student-athlete honours as a sophomore with the University of Victoria Vikes. Zakala recorded a GPA of 4.0 in the faculty of engineering. He was one of four U-Vic athletes from four different sports to receive that distinction.
In the pool, Zakala won a silver medal in the men’s 400-metre IM at the U SPORTS Championships as well as a silver and bronze at the Canada West Championships.