Skip to content

Vernon para swimmers go big

Vernon’s Jacob Brayshaw set five national records in the Swim B.C. Senior Open in Surrey.
web1_Jacob-Para-swim-web

Vernon’s Jacob Brayshaw of the Okanagan Para club set five national records in the 2017 Swim B.C. Senior Open at the Guildford Recreation Centre in Surrey last weekend.

Brayshaw, classified as an S2SB2SM2 athlete, posted the following times: 50 Free: 2:33.35; 100 Free: 5:13.82; 200 Free: 11:28.74; 50 Back: 2:26.17; 150 m IM: 8:46.51.

In para swimming, classification goes from S1 as most disabled and S10 as least

disabled (S stands for Butterfly, Backstroke, Freestyle, SB stands for Breaststroke, SM stands for Individual Medley).

Riley McLean of Vernon, an S4SB3SM4 swimmer, had a stellar performance Sunday in the 50 backstroke, delivering a Canadian record in the S4 class with his second 2017 World Para Swimming Championships time standard with a personal best 56.47.

The World Para Swimming Championships will be held Sept. 30-Oct. 6, in Mexico City.

“Swimming Canada is only taking 18 swimmers to Mexico City,” said Okanagan coach Renate Terpstra. “It will not be easy to be selected. It is very exciting that Riley already has the meet qualifying standard in the 50-m backstroke and 100-m freestyle. We are working hard and we will keep improving.”

McLean and teammate Courtney Segert, also of Vernon, will attend a selection competition – the Speedo Can Am Para Swimming Championships – March 31-April 2, in Windsor, Ont.

Segert, classified at S7SB6SM7, swam 100 per cent personal best times in Surrey.

Segert swam the 400 free in 9:51.29, the 100 breaststroke in 3:43.84, 50 free in 53.61, 50 butterfly in 56.03, 100 backstroke in 1:59.38 and the 100 free in 2:00.18.

“It is so amazing that Courtney qualified for the Speedo Can Am Para Swimming Championships,” said Terpstra. “This will be such an amazing experience for her. This will be the first time for her that she is racing star Paralympic swimmer Sarah Mehain (also coached by Terpstra).”

Notable international results for Mehain include a fourth in the 50 fly at the 2016 Paralympic Games and a silver in the 50 free at the 2015 Parapan American Games.

The Okanagan Para Swim Club train at the Vernon Recreation Centre under a program offered by parks and rec for swimmers with a physical disability.