By Angie Abdou
The Dolphins are on a roll! In May, the swimmers attended two out-of-town meets, a short course competition in Cranbrook on the first weekend of the month and a long course meet in Medicine Hat on Mother’s Day weekend. Between the two weekends, the Fernie athletes broke an unprecedented 24 club records.
“Those records are a great way to measure our progress,” said Head Coach Aidan Chudleigh. “The swimmers just keep getting faster and faster.”
32 Dolphins competed in the Cranbrook meet earning a total of 65 podium places and 108 personal best times. Matthew Cassidy collected 3 new club records (100 free, 50 fly, and 100 IM). Also competing in the 11–12-year-old boy category, Sage Demers set his first club record, beating Matthew Cassidy’s previous 400 freestyle record by 4 seconds. “We’re really pleased to see the growth in boy competitors,” said Chudleigh. “Our young male athletes are starting to push each other. It’ll be fun watching them improve and get more competitive together.” When Demers broke Cassidy’s record, the loudest poolside cheering came from Cassidy himself, clearly delighted at his teammate’s success.
In the 13-14 age category, Ethan Sauve added to the male club records, beating his own previous record in the 50 fly. The girls 10 & under 200 free relay team of Annalynn Nguyen, Sarah Bentley, Rachel Lewis, and Carmen Gareka-Wloka also set a record. On receiving the news, Sarah Bentley responded, “We did? Wow!”
Wow indeed. The Dolphins upped the wow factor the next weekend in Medicine Hat. 14 athletes achieved 24 podium places and 18 club records. Demers proved his first club record was not a fluke by setting 5 more (50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 50 breast, 100 breast). Teammate Mathew Cassidy held his own, setting 3 club records in the same age category (1500 free, 50 fly, 200 IM). Representing the older boys, 16-year-old Adam Hayden posted club records in the 1500 free and 50 breast.
11-year-old Layla Rella led the way for the girls with 3 new records in the 11–12-year-old division (50 free, 50 fly, and 100 fly). The scorching fast times she posted rank her top-12 in the country against the nation’s other 11-year-olds.
The youngest swimmer to set a club record this month was Brooklyn Irving, impressively finishing her first ever 1500 free long course. In the 15 & over girls, Katherine Hafke set a club record in the 1500 free and also broke the 800 record at her split (a record previously held by Coach Randi Thrun Goertzen).
Anouk Demers made her first AA Provincial qualifying time, breaking the 50-free standard in the lead leg of the 200 Free relay. She now joins the 10 other qualified swimmers who will compete in Regina at the ManSask Championship in July (Annalynn Nguyen, Emilie Harrup, Layla Rella, Brody Dube, Matthew Cassidy, Sage Demers, Josie Howse, Katherine Hafke, Jackson Radkie, and Olivia Howse). With the addition of Anouk Demers, the Dolphins’ provincial team has now doubled its previous showing.
The Dolphins next meet is in Calgary, long course, Jun 7-9.