Snow & Cold Brings Edmonton To A Halt, AMAC Swimmers Blaze Through!
Outside it was cold, snowy and slow but inside it was another great competition for our swimmers at the JP Fiset Invitational, December 4-6, 2009 in Edmonton.
This was the biggest meet of the year to date in terms of focus and size for our older swimmers and we had great performances from all of our 22 swimmers. We placed 8th (we were 6th going into finals on Sunday but left early to ensure safe travel home) out of over 20 teams and more than 650 swimmers. Richard Hortness, Adam Batten and Tianna Rissling all won gold in posting some of the top swims in Canada in their age groups. Richard, who bypassed nationals in Toronto last week due to his teaching schedule, proved to be on form winning the 100 Free (49.22) and posting the fastest time in Canada so far this year. Adam continued his momentum after making Westerns at the AMAC meet and won 3 events with a very impressive 200 Back -100 Free double o Saturday night. In the 200 Back Adam improved by over 5 seconds wiith 2:18.83 to win and then with 15 minutes rest, came from behind at the 50 to win the 100 Free in 57.23. Both swims were AMAC club records for 13-14 boys and the 100 Free erased a record from 1986. Tianna topped the podium in 4 events and posted the number one time in Canada for her age in the 400 IM. She also won the 200 IM, 50 100 Breast.
BIG TIME RELAYS
We had some great relay swimming in all the age groups but none better than our 15 & over boys in the 200 Free Relay. The boys team of Jordan Harper, Richard Hortness, Colton Boxell and Nick van der Sloot won in a blazing 1:36.14. The time ranks us 7th in Canada; behind 5 university teams and Cascade from Calgary. The guys placed 3rd in the Medley relay with Colton giving way to Callum Duncan, the breaststroke specialist. Great swimming guys. The 11-12 girls (Amanda Andrew, Taylor Andrew, Catherine Greenwood & Anna Dunphy were 3rd as well in the 200 Free Relay
NEW QUALIFIERS
Angel Slack qualified for Alberta Trials as a 13 year old with a best time by 2.5 seconds in the 200 IM (3:09.79).
BEST TIMES
Grace Greenwood, Madison Simpson & Angel Slack were our best time leaders with 6 new pb's each. They were followed close behind by Celina Batsel, Callum Duncan, Catherine Greenwood & Cathy Zwicker all with 5 new bests
CLUB RECORDS
We had 3 individuals and two relay teams notch their names on the club record board with new marks. Adam Batten went all the way back to 1986 in the boys 13-14 100 Free knocking off Steve Sadownik's 57.80 with a quick 57.23. The former record holder was on deck as a coach with the Ft. St. John team. Adam also broke Greg Swain's 200 Back with a 2:18.70. Tianna Rissling improved on her own records in the 200/400 IM (2:18.05 & 4:50.67) for 15-17 and open girls age groups and also bettered Jennifer Humphreys 2002 record for 15-17 girls in the 50 Fly (29.52). All of our 15-17 and open girls short course club records have now been set since 2007! Callum Duncan set his first ever club records with great swims in the 100/200 Breast. Cal's 1:08.34 in the 100 knocked a second off the 2004 open mark by Jason Anhorn and he bettered another Anhorn record in the 200 with a swim off 2:31.79. These two records are a great example of long term athlete development, Callum has swam with AMAC since 10 & under and now, as an 18 year old is setting records for the first time. Well done Callum.
Our open boys destroyed the previous club records in the 200 Free and Medley relays. Jordan Harper, Richard Hortness, Colton Boxell and Nick van der Sloot axed more than 3 seconds from our 2008 team in 1:36.14 in the free. Nick, Callum Duncan, Jordan & Richard dismantled the 2008 medley record by almost 5 seconds with their 1:48.68!
Great Swimming AMAC!
Check swimming.ca for full meet results