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Big win for Marlins at Rio Tinto competition

Five swimmers qualify for the Winter Age Group Provincial Championships
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The Marlins who medalled during the competition. (Photo supplied)

By Tim Baker

The Kitimat Marlins Swim Club hosted a northwest regional swim competition from January 25 to 27.

The title sponsor, Rio Tinto, once again weighed in to provide the support that saw almost 100 swimmers race head-to-head in the fastest competition of the season in the region to date, assisted by over 80 volunteers, many employees of Rio Tinto.

Kitimat’s speedsters the Marlins took the crown with 1,063 points, over second place Prince Rupert (763), Smithers’ Bulkley Valley Otters (255) and newly returned to the pool Terrace Bluebacks (152).

Ten-year-old and younger high point winners from Kitimat were: Girls Kamryn O’Neil - silver, boys Jacob Van Horne - gold and Louie Quinn - bronze.

Girls 11 - 12: Megan Forrest - silver, Faith Silva - bronze.

Boys 11 - 12: Gavin Thomopoulos - silver, and Daniel Park - bronze.

Girls 13 - 14: Olivia Pearson - gold, Meaghan Skinner - bronze.

Boys 13 - 14: Liam Velho - gold, Grayden Rusconi - bronze.

Girls 15 and older: Hannah Pearson - bronze.

The competition also ended up with five swimmers from Kitimat qualifying for the Winter Age Group Provincial Championships, to be held in late February in Vancouver. Congratulations to Jacob Van Horne, Louie Quinn, Megan Forrest, Gavin Thomopoulos and Grayden Rusconi.

Qualified swimmers will compete in their seven best events plus relays and will be joined by other swimmers from the region attending, under the Points North banner, the swim association for the region.

Congratulations to the following swimmers aged ten years and younger with their solid personal best time performances: Arlene Amos, Mason Fernandes, Dallas Gray, Halle Gray, Thomas Krabes, Ainsley McKinnon, Bretton McKinnon, Tessa Medeiros, Kamryn O’Neil, Anika Park, Benjamin Park, Louie Quinn, McKenna Reis, Abbee Rusconi, Koen Smith and Jacob Van Horne.

Almost every Marlins swimmer entered (43 of them) achieved near-total personal best times results. Some swimmers took stunning amounts of seconds off their personal bests.

Brooke Gray slashed 54 seconds from her 400m freestyle time, as the best example. Across the board performances, fuelled by fast-growing skills, were off the charts.

Next up for the Marlins is the winter championships in Vancouver in February and the same weekend for those not attending champs in Smithers.

At the end of March they’ll be in Prince George for the first 50m course competition of the season, in Prince Rupert in April and in the brand-new pool in Terrace in June.

It’s a busy life for our Marlins, but well worth it as they start to climb back up the ladder to prominence once more.