The Kitimat Marlins hosted the 2017 Northwest BC Swim Championships last weekend with Prince Rupert, Smithers and Terrace also in attendance. The championships are held in January so that swimmers attending provincial and national championships from February through April have experience racing in a heats and finals format.
The Marlins had a great meet, winning it with a total of 1300 points compared to 650 points for Prince Rupert, 600 points for Terrace, and 100 points for Smithers. In the process, four Marlins swimmers broke 20 pool records between them in every swim stroke and swim distance.
As well, three Marlin swimmers times ranked in the top ten fastest times for their age in Canada this season.
Jayden Johnston (12) competed in the 12-13 boys division. He broke a total of eight Kitimat pool records in the 11-12 boys age group. All of the records were between 22 and 43 years old. The 43 year old record was in the 100 meter butterfly from 1974. Johnston's time 1:09.54 for the 100 metre butterfly ranked him 13th in Canada for 12 year old boys and was two seconds faster than the old record. Johnston also broke records in the 50 metre butterfly,200fly, 100 metre individual medley, 400 metre individual medley, 200 metre freestyle, 800 metre freestyle and 1500 metre freestyle. His time in the 200 metre butterfly, 2:31.51, is the 6th fastest time in Canada this season for 12 year old boys. Johnston took the gold medal for overall points at the meet.
Jacob Van Horne (8) competing in the 11 and under boys division broke five pool records for eight and under boys. The records he broke were in the 25, 50 and 100 metre breaststroke., as well as 25 and 100 meter butterfly. The records were very old with three of the five records dating from the 1970s. Van Horne new time 23.43 knocked off 3/10 of a second off the old record.
Zachary Dumas broke pool records in the 15 and over boys category. He broke the records in the 400 individual medley, 100 metre butterfly, 200 metre breaststroke and 1500 metre freestyle. His time in the 1500 metre freestyle (16:24.78) is the 9th fastest time in the country for 17 year old boys in Canada for this season.
Dumas also broke the 1:00 mark in the 100 fly which is an exciting barrier to break. Dumas took the gold for overall points in the 14 and over boys division.
Gavin Thomopoulos (10) competing in the 11 and under boys division for the meet broke three pool records in the 10 and under boys division. He broke the 200 metre butterfly, 200 metre backstroke and 800 metre freestyle records. Two of the records were from the 1980s. Thomopoulos knocked seven seconds off the old record. Thomopoulos' time in the 800 metre freestyle 11:30.29 is the 9th fastest time for the event in 10 and under boys in Canada. Thomopoulos took the silver medal for 11 and under boys at the meet. More importantly though, Thomopoulos reached 3 AAA qualifying times in the 100 metre, 200 backstroke, and 800 metre freestyle, allowing him to attend the AAA Provincials in March in Victoria.
Kleanza Cathers (17) took gold in the 14 and over girls division at the meet. Her time of 27.3 for 50 metre freestyle is the 32 fastest time in Canada for 17 year old girls this season.
Megan Forest (10) took the gold medal in the 11 and under girls category, and Ewan Thomopoulos (12) took the silver in the12-13 boys division, also reaching the AA qualifying standard in multiple races, qualifying him for the AA Championships in Chilliwack in two weeks time.
Other medalists for the Marlins were Emilie Krabes and Olivia Pearson, both 12, who tied for the silver in the 12-13 girls division, and Leah Desousa who won bronze in the 14 and over girls division.
Grayden Rusconi (11) punched his ticket to AA Championships in February by hitting the qualifying standard in the 100 and 200 metre breaststroke in the 11 and under boys age group.
Sarah Toth (14) achieved her first A provincial time in the 50 metre freestyle.
Achieving personal best times in all their races for the Marlins were Arlene Amos, Ethan Amos, Gracie Baker, Colsen Calder, Annika Desousa, Leah Desousa, Megan Forrest, Halle Gray, Emilie Krabes, Markus Maag, Hudson Medeiros,
Kamryn O'Neil, Olivia Pearson, Louie Quinn, Joshua Reis, McKenna Reis, Graydon Rusconi, Mallory Scrivens, Isaiah Silva, Iris Striker, Ewan Thomopoulos, Gavin Thomopoulos, and Sarah Toth.