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Williams Lake’s Blue Fins host first swim meet in two years

Swimmers race towards divisional and provincial competition
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Emmeline Theirault of the Williams Lake Blue Fins competes in a 200-metre breast stroke heat during competition on Saturday, Feb. 5 of the Cariboo Dental Frost Fest swim meet. (Ruth Lloyd photo - Williams Lake Tribune)

The Cariboo Dental Frost Fest Swim Meet had 70 young swimmers coming from out of town to race in the first meet at home for the Blue Fins in two years.

“They swam well and you can see the enjoyment of the competition coming back,” said Blue Fins head coach Chad Webb.

There were 55 Blue Fins competing over the two days of racing, many young swimmers for the first time ever, against swim teams from Prince George, Quesnel and Kamloops.

Webb had been working hard to keep the team focussed and had implemented some team racing activities to keep improving.

“They’re so resilient too,” he said. “This generation will pretty much adapt to pretty much anything.”

With no spectators on the pool deck, the meet had a lot of new protocols occurring and the teams handled it extremely well.

Webb said the restrictions were likely the hardest on the parents, not being able to be on the pool deck, but live streaming helped as much as possible and parents could watch through the windows.

“The team really rallied around each other,” Webb added, the older swimmers stepped up to help the 20-plus first timers and younger ones who were competing without parents poolside.

“Having those older swimmers step up was really cool to see … they obviously inspired the little ones even more.”

Some of the swimmers qualified for the divisional competition, a regional meet set to take place in Penticton in three weeks, with all the swim teams coming together from the north and the Okanagan.

Hunter Stokes qualified for divisionals in the 50-metre backstroke and 100-metre backstroke and 200-metre backstroke, Gavin Reedman qualified for divisionals in the 50-metre back, 100-metre back and 400-metre individual medley, Annica Stalker qualified for divisionals in both 50-metre back, 50-metre freestyle and 200-metre backstroke and Niomi Neufeld qualified for her first divisional time in the 50-metre free.

Anna Stalker, Gavin Reedman, Hunter Stokes will join already qualified swimmers Jadyn Grant, Aliya Grant, Rebecca Elefson, Dylan Derose and Jordyn Stokes at the Penticton meet.

Keiva Peterson, Jolie Lulua and Lilly Reedman raced their first ever 100-metre events and most of the Blue Fin’s Super Novice swimmers (approximately 20) swam in their first swim meet ever.

Rebecca Elefson qualified for her first Provincial time in the 200-metre back and betters her times significantly in most swims.

Cale Murdock qualified for Provincials in the 50-metre breast stroke, Rowan Smith smashed more club records: 400-metre freestyle , and 100-metre individual medley and 200-metre individual medley and her 200-metre individual medley also qualifies her for another swim at Western Canadian Champs in Edmonton.

Swimmer Jadyn Johnston earned two more spots on the record board for the 50-metre breast stroke and 100-metre individual medley.

The provincials will take place in five weeks time in Victoria, B.C.

Subway Showdown 100 Individual Medley : Jordyn Stokes, Rowan Smith, Rebecca Elefson, Dylan DeRose and Jadyn Johnston all earned a chance to compete

Rowan Smith and Jadyn Johnston both took first in their categories, each setting a club record in the process.



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Jadyn Johnston, diving on the right, leaps off the block for a breast stroke heat during competition in Williams Lake on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022. (Ruth Lloyd photo - Williams Lake Tribune)