Contributed by Angie Abdou
Elk Valley Dolphins Swim Club
On the weekend of December 10th, Elk Valley Dolphins travelled to Calgary to compete in the Sandy Ferris Age Group Challenge, a three-day meet at the MNP Community Sport Centre. The team came home with 8 club records, 12 Podium finishes, and 58 best times.
Maddox Johnson broke 5 club records, some of which had been standing for nearly 20 years. His record-breaking swims in the 50 free, 50 back, 50 breast, 100 breast, and 100 fly earned him spots in the finals and one podium finish, an impressive bronze in the 100 breast. Competing in the 14 & over age group, Johnson had to race against swimmers older and more experienced than him. Unintimidated, Maddox put in an impressive performance.
Leah Soetart also swam blazing fast to break club records in the 50 free, 50 fly and 100 free. She clocked 27.95 seconds for a 50 free to place first and an equally impressive 1:08.87 to win the 100 fly. She also earned gold medals in the 100 free and 50 fly.
When the club learned that 10-year-old Layla Rella would have to swim the 400 free alone, teammates Ruby Cain and Annalynn Nguyen stepped in to swim with her, despite never having done a 400 free at a meet. Their good teamwork put all three of the young swimmers on the podium.
Layla Rella also made finals in all seven of her events and earned a silver medal in the 200 IM, a bronze medal in the 50 breast, a bronze medal in the 100 back, and a silver medal in the 50 fly.
The Dolphins had a record number of swimmers competing in finals, with nearly everyone getting a chance for second swims.
“In many ways, it was a perfect meet,” said Coach Aidan Chudleigh.
“We’re happy to see so many swimmers in finals and getting the opportunity to fine-tune their technical details and racing strategy. Often, we had swimmers going personal best times in the morning heats and then jumping in to beat those times again in the evening finals.”
Chudleigh also said the meet was a good opportunity for team bonding. “Now that we’re back on a regular competition schedule, we’re seeing older swimmers taking on a mentorship role with the younger ones and all our athletes really supporting and encouraging each other. That team building is a big part of what is good about the sport.”
This weekend a smaller, younger team will travel to a competition at the University of Calgary and a get some of their earliest experience in out-of-town racing. Coaches are excited to see the young competitors diving off the blocks.
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