The Kitimat Marlins swim club had a busy and successful weekend with 15 swimmers competing at the Prince Rupert regional swim meet and two swimmers competing at the Kamloops long course swim meet.
At the Prince Rupert swim meet Grayden Rusconi (11) achieved his third AAA Provincial Qualifying time in the 11 and under 200 meter backstroke. With that time Grayden now qualifies to compete at this summer’s AAA Provincial championships in Kamloops. The AAA Provincials is B.C.’s highest provincial level meet. Rusconi finished with the bronze medal for overall points in the 11 to 12 age category at the meet. Also in the age group Gavin Thomopoulos, who turned 11 the first day of the swim meet, took the silver medal. In the 10 and under girls division Megan Forest took the silver medal. In the 10 and under boys Dallas Grey took the bronze medal.
In the 11 to 12 girls Annika Desousa took home the silver medal and Nolen Knox took home the bronze medal in the 13 to 14 boys. Achieving the tough task of swimming personal best times in all their events was Dallas Grey and Liam Velho.
At the swim meet awards the male and female regional swimmers of the year were recognized with plaques. For the second year in a row Zachary Dumas and Kleanza Cathers from the Marlins were recognized as the swimmers of the year for the Northwest region. This season Zachary Dumas took home a silver medal at the Canadian western Nationals and medalled at AAA Provincials as well.
His time in the 1500 meter freestyle is currently ranked 4th fastest in Canada for 17 year old boys and he is ranked 10th fastest in the 400 individual medley.
Kleanza Cathers had her best result this season at the Victoria invitational swim meet. The largest swim meet in B.C. Kleanza took the bronze medal in the 50 meter freestyle. Her time for the event is ranked 36th fastest for 17 year old girls in Canada.
For the first time this season the Marlins placed second instead of first for overall points at a regional meet, but with the fact that the Marlins won five out of six northwest B.C. regional swim meets this season, the team was awarded the regional champions trophy. It is the first time in ten seasons the Prince Rupert team, who have almost double the amount of swimmers as the Kitimat Marlins, have not won the regional champions trophy.
Across the province at the major Kamloops invitational swim meet Kitimat Marlin swimmers Jadyn Johnston and younger brother Lucas Johnston had some very impressive results. They both finished with medals in most of their events. As a result, the two-person Kitimat team placed an amazing 15th overall out of 27 teams for total points.
Jadyn, competing in the 11 to 12 boys division, took the gold medal in the 200 fly and 400, silver in the 400 free, 200 and 100 fly, bronze in 50 free and 200 free and a fourth in the 100 back. He swam to personal best times in all his events.
Younger brother Lucas Johnston, competing in the 10 and under boys category, also had a fantastic meet. He achieved his second AA Provincial time in the 11 and under 100 meter backstroke. It will allow Lucas to compete at the AA Provincial championships later this month in Richmond. Lucas won the 100 free and 100 back, placed third in the 50 free and 200, 4th in the 200 free and 5th in the 50 fly.