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Langley Olympians Swim Club wins #RaceAgain contest

Virtual contest ends with multiple victories against competitors from across the country
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LOSC member Hugh McNeill, seen here practicing at the Walnut Grove pool in Langley in March, won first in in the 17 and over category of the #RaceAgain virtual swimming competition. (Sevi Parr/Special to Langley Advance Times)

Several Langley Olympians Swim Club (LOSC) athletes won age categories at the Speedo Swimming Canada #RaceAgain Challenge as the club won the Small Team Award and placed second overall.

Over the past five months Swimming Canada has been holding a virtual swimming competition open to all registered athletes, maintaining a virtual ranking database.

LOSC swimmers did well.

In 11- to 12-year-old girls, Yuka Piersic took second and Olivia Losacco was third; in 12- to 13-year-old boys, Jihoon Bae took first, Alex Velicico was second; in the 13- to 15-year-old girls, first place went to Leila Fack and third to Katie Schroeder; in 14- to 16-year-old boys, Piyush Kaul took second; Bailey Herbert won the 16 and over girls category, while Hugh McNeill won 17 and older boys.

READ ALSO: Top-10 finishes for current and former Langley Olympians swimmers at Olympic trials

In a joint statement, LOSC coaches Zachary Haw and Brian Metcalfe said the season has been a challenge for all swimmers as they are missing out on actual in-person racing, a fundamental part in their development in the sport of competitive swimming.

“However, these wins are great for the swimmers as they feel rewarded and accomplished with all the work that they have done in this long season,” the coaches commented.

“Normally, our swimmers swim from September to July, but due to the restrictions back in the spring of 2020, we were unable to swim. When we had the opportunity in June 2020 to swim, we started our season then. Our swimmers have been swimming for more than a year now and the recognition of winning and placing top 3 in the leaderboards is a testament to the commitment of the club to keep swimmers engaged and stimulated in the sport of competitive swimming.”

READ ALSO: Langley Olympians swimmer breaks two provincial records at Chilliwack meet

Haw and Metcalfe thanked the City of Langley for allowing LOSC athletes to get into the water in July and August of 2020 so swimmers could train towards their goals.

“We look forward to the development of swimmers that will represent Langley in the national and international stage,” they said.

Up next, the virtual summer divisional and provincial championships.

More information can be found online at www.swimming.ca/en/raceagain.


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