Van Herk Shows Well At OUA Championships

Cedar Spring’s Justine Van Herk, a Ursuline College Chatham graduate, competed in the OUA Swimming Championships this past weekend in St. Catherines as a member of the University of Guelph Gryphons women’s swimming team.

Van Herk, a Blenheim Blast alumni, helped the Gryphons to a 4th place finish in the 200m medley relay, with her team of Laura Van Bommel, Alisha Harricharan, and Valarie Ward touching in a time of 1:59.03. Van Herk also swam as a part of the 200m Freestyle Relay team, which finished 5th, in 1:49.01.

The Gryphons also placed 4th overall as a team, and according to Van Herk, she is happy with her performance, and feels her team is developing well.

“Overall it has been a great season for the Gryphons swim team,” said Van Herk. “On the women’s side specifically, we are even stronger than last year and placed fourth overall at OUA’s. I was happy with my performance as I was right around my best times.”

Individually, Van Herk, who studies human kinetics, had her top performances in the backstroke divisions. In the 50m backstroke, Van Herk finished with a time of 30.27, good for 7th. In the 100m backstroke, Van Herk again advanced to the final, finishing 8th with a time of 1:05.01.

Van Herk also competed in the 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle events, finishing 17th in each.

This was Van Herk’s second OUA championship, and now, she will focus her attention on the 2014 CIS swimming championships.

“I’m looking forward to being rested and tapered going into my biggest meet of the year; CIS championships in Toronto, in a couple weeks,” said Van Herk. “I am hoping to make the Senior National time standard there in the 50m backstroke in a time of 29.70 seconds. Just missed this qualifying standard last CIS in Calgary with a time of 29.77 seconds.”

The CIS Swimming Championships will be hosted by the OUA champion Toronto Varsity Blues from February 20-22.