A small but select team from the Greater Trail Winter Swim Club (GTWSC) joined over 400 swimmers for three days of competition at the AA Provincials at the Chilliwack Landing Centre on the weekend.
Four athletes from the GTWSC ended up with stellar results, winning 10 medals in all, and qualifying for the AAA B.C. Long-course championship in Victoria in July.
Ian Markus had unprecedented success in the pool in the male 12/13 year age group finishing the Meet with three gold and three silver medals. Markus knocked almost two-minutes off his seeded-time in the 1,500-metre freestyle on his way to gold on Friday with a time of 19 minutes and 43.45 seconds. On the same day he raced to gold in the 200-m Individual Medley in a time of 3:01.61, and raced to silver in the 50-m free just missing gold by 0.5 seconds.
Markus then took top spot in the 400-m free final on Saturday and finished the Meet with a pair of silver medals in the 200-m free and 400-m IM on Sunday.
“Ian is a Provincial Prospect and we are very proud of the effort Ian has put in especially since the Regional Prospects Camp sponsored by Swim B.C. in October 2013,” said GTWSC spokesperson Graham Matthew in an email. “Ian set many club records and has now attained the AAA qualifying time standard that helps him get one step closer to selection for our Academy squad going to Victoria in July to race in the Long Course Provincial championships.”
Riley Mager had his best meet of the season winning two silver medals in the 1,500 and 400-m free in the boys 14 and over events, setting new club records in both events and has now also attained the AAA championships time standard needed to advance to Victoria. Mager missed out on gold by less that half a second in the 400-m free, and placed fourth in the 200 free.
Inspired by the success of his colleagues Sharman Thomas had a great Sunday winning two medals in the 14 and over boys event. Thomas first took home a bronze medal in the 200-m backstroke and followed that up with a silver in the 400-m IM to qualify for the AAA’s in Victoria. Thomas just missed the podium in the 1,500 on Friday with a fourth place finish, and was sixth in 100-back.
Tess Markus was the only girl to make the trip to Chilliwack and she had a successful meet finishing fourth in the Girls 14 and over 50-m Free and seventh in the 100-m free setting club records in both events. Tess also set a club record in the 100-m Fly.
“We are so proud of the junior advanced swimmers who have been working to develop properly under the direction of certified and experienced swim coaches,” Matthew added. “Swimming is more than just a physical sport there is a mental component too and all swimmers in our program learn to believe in their individual talents and excel.”
Next up for the Trail Winter Swim Club is the first long-course meet of the season in Kamloops this weekend.
For more information or to join the Greater Trail Winter Swim Club email: programdirectortwsc@outlook.com