Broad, Van Herk Make Waves

A group of local swimmers, Madison Broad, Brendan Van Herk, and Shania Van Herk, made waves at the Canadian Age-Group Swimming Championships in Winnipeg, Manitoba this week.

Broad, a Wallaceburg resident, racked up two gold medals and two silver, and also hit a Senior National qualifying time in three events. Broad won gold in the 200m and 50m backstroke events, and silver in the 100m backstroke. On her final day of competition, Broad won her second silver, touching in 29.19 in the 50m fly. She also had a 7th in the 200m IM and a 12th in the 50m free.

Brendan Van Herk, a Blenheim swimmer representing the Blenheim Blast, won his clubs first ever National Age-Group medal, capturing bronze in the 50m backstroke, touching the wall in 29.03. Van Herk nearly medaled again in the 400m IM, where he finished 6th, with a total time of 4:59.69, and found an identical result in the 200m IM, finishing 6th with a time of 2:18.39. Van Herk finished 8th in the 100m backstroke with a time of 1:03.91, in in his final race on Sunday, Brendan Van Herk placed 10th in the 50m fly.

Van Herk also finished 17th in the 100m butterfly, 15th in 200m backstroke, 20th in the 100m breaststroke, 14th in 200m fly

Shania Van Herk, 43rd in 50m backstroke in the girls 16-18 year-old division, and 53rd in the 100m backstroke. In the 200m freestyle, Van Herk, who will swim varsity from the Brock University Badgers next Fall, finished 60th. In the 50m fly, Van Herk finished 36th in her final even of the meet.