AquaJets finish in 1st place at host meet
The Kelowna AquaJets hosted their May Long Course Invitational at H2O earlier this month.
With 375 swimmers from 19 clubs, the competition for the local athletes was strong. For the home team it proved to be a very successful weekend as the swimmers produced multiple finalists, aggregate trophy winners and new provincial qualifiers on its way to capturing the overall team trophy.
Leading the way was 11-year-old Abigail Jerome, who dominated her age group with first-place finishes in six of her seven individual events and easily won the aggregate award for that group. Jerome also broke meet records in four events: 50-metre butterfly (32.12); 100 fly (1:13.65); 50 freestyle (29.81) and 200 individual medley (2:49.03).
Also picking up aggregate awards were Erin Epp (2nd place, 12-13 girls); Volodymyr Matushevskyy (3rd place, 12-13 boys); Cameron McInnes (2nd place, 14-15 boys) and Matt MacDonald (3rd place, 14-15 boys).
In the 16 and over age group, AquaJets girls swept the aggregate awards with Axana Merckx taking the top prize and Gabrielle Hanvold and Christina Russo placing second and third, respectively. In the same category on the boys’ side, Marc Toyata placed second overall and Maxime Cousnard took third overall.
Several club records fell at the meet, including four by nine-year-old Aiden Kirk in the 10 and under boys’ category. He broke records in 200 free (2:51.22), 50 free (34.25) and 100 fly (1:34.98) plus broke his own 50 fly record (41.24). Another nine-year old, Sawyer Nabozniak, broke the record for 50 back in a time of 45.39. Sara Gray, 10, lowered her own record when she swam the 400 IM in 6:56.78.
Other record breakers included Keaton Russell, who swam the 50 backstroke in 33.99; Flyn Huber, who swam the 50 fly in 32.32; and Andrea Kraetzer, who swam the 50 free in 28.22.
A number of swimmers posted new provincial and national qualifying times at the meet.
Athina Merckx (200 IM, 3:10.51) and Kodi Wiman (50 free, 34.65 and 200 breaststroke, 3:26.88) achieved AA provincial standards, while AAA marks were achieved by Keaton Russell (100 back, 1:13.12 and 50 back, 33.99); Noah Semashkewich (200 breast, 2:59.58); Flyn Huber (200 breast, 2:56.64 and 400 IM, 5:44.72) and Volodymyr Matushevskyy (1500 free, 20:26.63).
A pair of swimmers posted qualifying times for the Canadian junior championships. Erin Epp got hers in the 200 breast (2:53.01), while Andrea Kraetzer’s qualifying time came in a record-breaking 50 free (28.22).
Achieving 100 per cent best times were Meagan Corrigan, Sylvie Boschman, Matilde Arrigoni, Grace Hwang, Abigail Nicholson, Emelia Schwarz, Dakota Wiman, Sarah Courtenay, Sara Gray, Abigail Jerome, Lucy Hill and Rachel McInnes. For the boys, Tomas Faccini, Ryder Freedman, Rhys Howell, Brock Campbell, Ruben Stone, Keaton Russell, Johnny Ekinci, Ethan Gray and Ehren Woodward all bettered their previous times in all the races they entered.
Next up for the AquaJets are the Mel Zajac Jr. International meet at UBC in Vancouver and the Kamloops Invitational.
For more information on the Jets, visit www.kelownaaquajets.com.