With a month to go in the fall session of swimming, Vernon Kokanee Swim Club members are looking very strong.
The Kokanee recently competed in Kelowna at the Aquajets’ Fall Classic meet, sending a group of 55 swimmers to compete against 12 other clubs.
Vernon finished in second spot overall with 2.954 points.
Kokanee swimmers achieved 218 personal best times.
Blayke Butler, competing in the 10 and under boys, category, made two new AA provincial standards to qualify for the provincial swim meet in February, in Chilliwack.
Butler made the standards in 100-metre and 200- breastroke in times of 1:37.49 and 3:32.48.
New provincial qualifying times also came from Blake Davidson in the 200 individual medley in a time of 2:52.15, qualifying Davidson for the AA championships as it adds to his 400-freestyle qualifying time.
Brandon Phillips achieved his AA standards in the 200-I.M. and 200-free with times of 2:50.15 and 2:31.39. Nicholas Phillips achieved his AA standards in 200-backstroke in 2:28.33.
Tate Priebe had a three-second drop in 200-free to add another AA standard to his championship times. Charlotte Wendlandt had a good meet with improvements to her standards in 200-, 400-free and 200-I.M.
Ellie Williamson improved her 200-back by five seconds. She swam 3:01.89 to add to her AA time in 1000-back and qualify for the AA championships.
Matthew Winn dropped more than 30 seconds to make his first AAA time in 1,500-free. He swam 17:57.09 to qualify in the boys 14-15 category.
Swimmers who had 100 per cent personal best times at the swim meet included Amy Lausman, Brody Wright, and Gus Yan.
Lausman improved in nine events including a 10-second drop in the 200-breast.
Wright also improved in nine events and competed in his first 1,500-free. Yan improved eight different events that included an 11-second drop in 200-free.
Other swimmers who came very close to 100 per cent drops include Halle Phillips, who improved in eight out of nine races, and raced her first time in 400-free and 200-back.
Cyan Ross-Van Mierlo also improved eight out of nine races and dropped 18 seconds in the 400-free.
‘I am looking forward to a good swim meet in Kamloops in December,” said Kokanee head coach Steven Vander Meulen.
“The younger swimmers in the club are showing some strong improvements and are adding some nice balance to the overall strength of the club.”