Host Olympians shine

Langley Olympians Swim Club (LOSC) members were determined to show well in their home water April 11-13.

Mission accomplished.

LOSC hosted its 12th annual Long Course Meet at the Walnut Grove Community Centre’s pool.

Held in the facility’s 50-metre metre pool, the meet attracted 400 swimmers from the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.  

Comprising of heats and finals, the meet was very challenging as LOSC’s first long course meet of the season.

All swimmers had to be on their “A” game in heats to win a place in the finals.

LOSC swimmers recorded many top three placings and new qualifying times, while breaking club records broken and setting new best times over the course of the three-day meet.

FIRST PLACE SWIMMERS

• Chelsea Borrowdale, 14, in the 13/14 girls 50m breaststroke, 1500m freestyle, 400m IM, 200m breaststroke, 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle, 200m fly, 100m breaststroke, and 200IM;

• Siobhan Board, 16, in the 15 & over girls 50m backstroke;

• Kennedy Douglas, 15, in the 15 & over girls 1500m freestyle;

• Josie Field, 12, in the 12 & under girls 100m fly and 200m fly;

• Bailey Herbert, 11, in the 12 & under girls 50m breaststroke and 200m IM;

• Brayden Kells, 12, in the 12 & under boys 50m breaststroke and 200m breaststroke;

• Joshua Kim, 12, in the 12 & under boys 100m breaststroke;

• Bennett MacDonald, 14, in the 13/14 year boys 1500m freestyle and 200m backstroke;

• Hillary Metcalfe, 15, in the 15 & over girls 50m breaststroke, 400m IM, 200m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke, 100m freestyle, and 200m IM;

• Martha Metcalfe, 17, in the 15 & over girls 200m fly;

• Robyn Nakano, 15, in the 15 & over girls 50m fly;

• Justin Schramm, 16, in the 15 & over boys 1500m freestyle, 400IM, 100m fly, 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle, 200m fly, and 100m freestyle; and

• Gabriella Szalkai, 14, in the 13/14 girls 800m freestyle.

SECOND PLACE SWIMMERS

• Chelsea Borrowdale in the 13/14 girls 50m freestyle;

• Kennedy Douglas in the 15 & over girls 1500m freestyle;

• Josie Field in the 12 & under girls 400m IM;

• Alysse Franklin, 14, in the 13/14 girls 800m freestyle, 200m freestyle and 100m freestyle;

• Jenessa Hillman, 13, in the 13/14 girls 1500m freestyle and 400m IM;

• Brayden Kells in the 12 & under boys 100m breaststroke;

• Joshua Kim in the 12 & under boys 50m freestyle, 1500m freestyle, 400m IM, 200m breaststroke, 200m freestyle, and 100m freestyle;

• Hugh McNeill, 10, in the 12 & under boys 200m backstroke;

• Hillary Metcalfe in the 15 & over girls 50m freestyle;

• Martha Metcalfe in the 15 & over girls 800m freestyle and 400m freestyle;

• Robyn Nakano in the 15 & over girls 100m fly;

• Justin Schramm in the 15 & over boys 50m freestyle; and

• Gabriella Szalkai in the 13/14 girls 50m fly and 200m fly.

THIRD PLACE SWIMMERS

• Siobhan Board in the 15 & over girls 200m backstroke;

• Danielle de la Gorgendiere, 14, in the 13/14 girls 50m fly and 50m backstroke; Josie Field in the 12 & under girls 400m freestyle;

• Alysse Franklin in the 13/14 girls 50m freestyle and 200m backstroke;

• Bailey Herbert in the 12 & under girls 100m breaststroke;

• Brayden Kells in the 12 & under boys 400IM;

• Joshua Kim in the 12 & under boys 50m fly and 400m freestyle;

• Bennett MacDonald, 14, in the 13/14 boys 50m backstroke;

• Hugh McNeill in the 12 & under boys 50m backstroke and 200m IM; and

• Robyn Nakano in the 15 & over girls 200m fly.

There were a number of club records set during the weekend;

Hugh McNeill, 10, broke five LOSC marks in the 9/10 year boys category, including the 50m backstroke (37.40 seconds), 1500m freestyle (21:47.10), 100m backstroke (1:21.58), 200m backstroke (2:47.51), and 200m freestyle (2:32.89).

Hugh’s younger sister Isobel, seven, broke the 8 & under girls club record in the 50m backstroke (50.37 seconds).

Brayden Kells, 12, set a club record in the 11/12 boys 200m breaststroke (2:51.54) while Joshua Kim did the same in the 11/12 boys 100m breaststroke (1:18.63).

Chelsea Borrowdale, 14, broke the 13/14 year girls’ 1500m freestyle record (18:28.56).

Achieving new qualifying times were 11-year-old Bailey Herbert, who attained her first Age Group National time in the 50m breaststroke. Other Age Group National qualifiers were Jenessa Hillman in the 1500m freestyle and Josie Field in both the 100m and 200m fly events.

A number of swimmers gained their B.C. AAA times at the meet: they were 11-year-old Reese Blunden, in the 800m freestyle and 200m backstroke; Reagen Bedard, 11, in the 800m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle and 100m freestyle; Ryan Hunter, 10, in the 100m backstroke, 400m freestyle, and 200m backstroke; Milana Solar, 11, in the 800m freestyle, 200m freestyle, and 100m freestyle; and Dylan Thomas in the 400m IM.

These times qualify the Langley swimmers for the 2014 B.C. AAA championships in July.

Many Olympians also set 100 per cent best times at the meet.

They included Danika Bedard, nine, Reagen Bedard, Reese Blunden, Sarah Buckingham, 12, Bryce Dong, 11, Sierra Cook, 13, Josie Field, Bailey Herbert, Brayden Herbert, nine, Jenessa Hillman, Ryan Hunter, Joshua Kim, Bennett MacDonald, Hugh McNeill, Alanna Picotte, 10, and Milana Solar.

“It was exciting to see such great racing at this first long course meet of the season with the bonus of it being in our home pool,” LOSC head coach Brian Metcalfe said. “We can see lots of potential in our young swimmers and are looking forward to the upcoming Long Course season. I am sure we will see great things throughout the months ahead from these talented athletes.”

LOSC registration is ongoing. Call 604-532-5257 or visit langleyolympians.com.