Local Swimmers Shine at Blenheim Blast S.E.A.L. Meet
Ryann Fink of the Blenheim Blast Swim Team - Submitted Photo
7 year old Willam Reynolds swam away with three first place finishes in the boys 7 & under age group. William shaved over ten seconds off his 25 Back to finish in first place in a time of 37.76 seconds. He also finished first in the 25 Free (30.04), and the 25 Breast (54.81 seconds). 8 year old Emma Pegg swam away with 5 top ten finishes in the girls 8-9 year old age group. Emma was third in the 25 fly (21.56), fourth in the 100 IM (1:48.32), fifth in the 25 Breast (26.64), eighth in the 50 Free and also placed tenth in the 25 Back.
10 year old Grace Hanson won the 10-11 year old girls 50 Fly (41.44 seconds) and the 50 Back (41.99). She went on to a second place finish in the 50 Breast (47.35), and was third in the Women’s open 400 Free in a time of 6:27.06, which is a W.O.S.A. qualifying time for this event. Grace also placed seventh in the Women’s open 200 IM (3:18.09). Delainey Johnson (11) also had five top ten finishes, finishing second in the 100 IM (1:35.59). Delainey had two third place finishes is the 50 Back (45.62)and in the 100 Free ( 1:28.64) , was fifth in the 50 breast (52.12) and swam to a sixth place finish in the 50 Fly (47.55). 11 year old Jill Clendenning swam to five top ten finishes, placing fourth in both the 10-11 girls 100 Free (1:30.86) and in the 50 Fly (47.11). Jill placed fifth in the 100 IM (1.42.11), eighth in the 50 Breast (55.26), and was ninth in the 50 Back (50.43).
12 year old Brendan Van Herk swam away with five top five finishes. He competed in the boys 14 & over, and men’s open age categories due to disqualifying time restrictions at the meet. Brendan was second in the 14 & over 100 Free (1:.06.62), the men’s open 400 Free (5:15.25) also in the14 & over 100 Back (1:15.72). Brendan also placed fourth in the 14 & over Fly (33.23) and the men’s 200 IM (2:46.54).
12 year old Rain Pfaff swam to first place in the 12-13 year old girls 100 IM (1:21.06). Rain was fourth in the 12-13 girls 50 Fly (37.34). Rain then competed in the girls 14 & over older age category (due to disqualifying time restrictions at the meet), and raced to a second place finish in the 100 Back (1:19.59), a third in the 100 Breast (1:34.89). Rain also placed fourth in the Women’s open 200 IM (3:01.53). 13 year old Mackenzie Desbiens swam to a second place finish the 12-13 year old girls 50 Fly in a time of 36.13 seconds. 13 year old Olivia Ermers had four top ten finishes in this 12-13 year old girls age group. Olivia placed eighth in the 100 Back (1.35.79), and was ninth in both the 100 IM (1:35.06) and the 100 Breast (1:46.52). Olivia also placed tenth in the 100 Free. 13 year old Alex Hall also had four top ten finishes. Alex swam to a sixth place finish in the 100 IM (1:30.30), and was seventh in the 100 Back. Alex also had eighth place finishes in the 100 Breast (1:45.10) and the 100 Free (1:22.37).
14 year old Mackenzie Rajki swam away with four podium finishes, securing first place in the girls 14 & over 100 Free (1:09.78 seconds). Mackenzie raced to a second place finish in the 100 IM (1:22.82) seconds, and was third in both the women‘s 200 IM (2:59.28) and 200 Free (2:38.41) events. 14 year old Sophia Maclean swam to 5 top ten finishes. She placed fourth in the 100 Back (1:28.07), sixth in the 100 IM (1:128.30), seventh in the 50 Fly (42.47), and was eighth in both the 100 Free (1:21.10) and 100 Breast (1:38.71). 15 year old Riley Johnson won the girls 14 & over 100IM (1:17.91), 200 I.M. (2:50.90), and was also first in the women’s open 200 Free (2:36.05) and 400 Free (5:48.56) events. Riley placed fifth in the 14 & over Breast. Brandelyn Kelly (15) was second in the girls 14 & over 100 Free (1:12.74), third in the 100 Back (1:20.71) and swam to a sixth place finish in the 100 Breast (1:38.00).
14 year old River Pfaff swam away with five finishes in the top four at the meet. River came in second in the boys 14 & over 100 IM (1:14.51,) and was also second in the Men’s 200 IM (2:43.53). River placed third in both the 14 & over
50 Fly (32.91) and 100 Back (1:17.97), and was fourth in the 100 Free (1:06.82).15 year old Michael Scott had four top ten finishes at the meet. Michael was sixth in the boys 14& over 100 Breast (1:44.34), seventh in the 100 IM (1:36.19), and was eighth in both the 100 Free (1:33.12) and 100 Back (1:44.95). 17 year old Eric Montgomery had five top ten finishes at the meet. Eric was fourth in the boys 14 & over 100 Breast (1:31.76), and placed sixth in each of the 100 Back (1:26.52), 100 Free (1:12.71) and 100 IM (1:34.37) events. Eric was also ninth in the 50 Fly (40.32).
Other top ten finishers include: 9 year old Abi Johnston was seventh in the 8-9 year old girls 25 Breast, and tenth in the 25 Fly. Robyn Hardy (14) swam to a tenth place in the girls 14 & over 100 Back (1:38.65). 14 year old Nikki McIntyre swam away with two top ten finishes, placing tenth in both the 100 Free (1:24.28) and the 50 Fly( 47.61 Mikayla Pelcz (14) swam to a ninth place finish in the girls 14 & over Fly(44.95)
A small group of qualifiers from the team will travel to the Canada Games Aquatic Centre in London February 3-5 for the W.O.S.A. Regional Championships. The next scheduled S.E.A.L Meet is in Leamington Sunday February 26.