The Grand Forks Piranhas Swim Club concluded a successful season at the Kootenay Regional Championships, Aug. 3 and 4.
A total of 26 swimmers attended the meet in Castlegar, and the club came in second with a total of 390 points.
Shian Corbeil broke the Division 2 girls’ 50-metre butterfly record by three quarters of a second with a time of 38.44. The record was 22 years old.
Dante Grootjes competed in his first meet as a Division 1 swimmer. He established times in the 50-metre butterfly, 50-metre backstroke, and 50-metre freestyle. He shocked his coaches by executing several perfect flip-turns and qualifying to swim consolation finals in three events.
Madalynn Barnfield also impressed her coaches when she established her first 50-metre butterfly time of 2:00.03. She also qualified for consolation finals in three of her events.
Dierdre Wark qualified for the consolation final in two of her events: 50-metre butterfly and 50-metre freestyle. She out-touched many of her opponents in both races.
Nineteen Piranhas medalled in their individual events. Bronze medals were awarded to Dayton Bryan, Caitlyn Black, Sydney Gunther, Isaac Holitzki and Aysia Morgan.
Leena Corbeil, Dayton Bryan, Shian Corbeil, Kiyomi Dunnet, Kohei Dunnet, David Hecht, Sarah Heric, Ashlyn LeRoy, Aysia Morgan, Raelyn Morgan and Robert Wark received silver medals.
Gold medals were earned by Ethan Argue, Shian Corbeil, Kiyomi Dunnet, Kohei Dunnet, Sydney Gunther, David Hecht, Sarah Heric, Isaac Holitzki, Jayden LeRoy, Aysia Morgan, Raelyn Morgan, Nicole Nuyten, Robert Wark, Ross Merry and Robyn Van Ek.
On Saturday, the Division 3 girls’ 200-metre medley relay (Shian Corbeil, Raelyn Morgan, Kiyomi Dunnet and Sydney Gunther) and the Division 4 boys’ 200-metre medley relay (Isaac Holitzki, Dayton Bryan, Ethan Argue and Sam Podmoroff) placed first. The Division 6, 200-metre medley relay (Caitlyn Black, Leena Corbeil, Nicole Nuyten and Sarah Heric) placed second.
On Sunday, the girls’ Division 2, 200-metre freestyle relay (Jailyn Needoba, Ashlyn LeRoy, Aysia Morgan and Cassiane Larson) placed first.
The girls Division 3, 200-metre freestyle relay (Shian Corbeil, Raelyn Morgan, Sydney Gunther and Kiyomi Dunnet) also came first.
The girls Division 4, 200-metre freestyle relay (Jayden LeRoy, Xandria Parker, Caitlyn Black and Kaileigh Parker) finished fifth. The boys Division 4, 200-metre freestyle relay (Isaac Holitzki, Dayton Bryan, Ethan Argue and Sam Podmoroff) came in first.
Lastly, the Division 7 girls (Sarah Heric, Leena Corbeil, Nicole Nuyten and Robyn Van Ek) and the Division 7 boys (David Hecht, Robert Wark, Kohei Dunnet and Dante Grootjes) 200-metre freestyle relays both placed first.
Fifteen Piranhas are expected to achieve peak performances at the BCSSA Provincial Championships held in Coquitlam on Aug. 16, 17, and 18.
– Contributed by Robyn Van Ek