Clarity isn’t always feasible when deciphering sports results, but for certain the Hyack Swim Club proved to be the short and the long of it.
To put it succinctly, the elite club is the best in B.C., after sweeping both the Short Course winter age group and Long Course provincial championships earlier this month.
Their margin of victory was also impressive, as the New West-based club taking the long course competition with a combined aggregate of 1,107.50 points, with Kelowna's KWIC placing second at 851 points.
At the short course age group event in Vancouver, Peter Huang and Justin Jung stood front-and-centre of the team's medal bonanza, combining for 15 gold medals in their respective divisions. Along with eight gold, Jung also set a national age group record in the 400-metre individual medley with a time of 4:48.64. The 12-year-old Jung also topped 200, 400 free, 200 IM, fly and 100 and 200 breast.
As a 13-year-old, Huang came first in seven events, winning the 100, 200 fly, 50, 200 and 400 free, 100 back and 200 IM. Paul Orogo, in the 12-year-old division, came in first in the 50 free, 100 and 200 back, and placed second in 100 free, 200 and 400 IM.
Sunny Zhang triumphed in the 13-year-old division 400 IM, and collected silver in 100 and 200 breast, 200 fly and IM. Finishing third in his 12-year-old division’s 100 and 200 breast was Kane Pan.
On the girls side, Yeonwoo Choi registered the fastest time in the 11-year-old girls’ 200 breast, and added bronze in the 100 breast and 200 IM. Catching silver in 200 free and IM and bronze in 50 and 100 free, 100 fly and 200 breast was 12-year-old Ashley Ko. In the 10-year-old competition, Yuka PIersic placed third in 100 and 200 breast and 200 fly, while Luna Cheung finished 3rd in 200 back.
In Kamloops for the long course competition, nearly every Hyack swimmer advanced to a final. Setting the tone was graduating age group swimmer Octavia Lau, who won five events – the 100m fly, and 200, 400, 800 and 1500 free. The 17-year-old junior national team member also picked up silver in 50 free and 200 fly.
Fellow graduate Sehajvir Singh topped the 16-and-over boys’ 400 free and picked up bronze in the 800 free. He also placed fourth in the 200 free and 400 IM. Peter Huang, 13, kicked his way to first in the 200 fly, placing second in the 100 fly and 200 free.
Madisen Jacques took top honours in the 14-and-under 200 fly, with silver in both the 100 fly and 400 IM. She also finished fourth in 200 IM. Swimming her way to silver in the 1500 free and bronze in 800 free was under-14’s “Regina Saenz. She also placed fourth in the 400 free and IM.
Cassidy Gray picked up silver in the 14-under 50 free, while Tiffany Tancon grabbed bronze in both the 400 IM and 1500 free.
“We have been in and around the win at this meet for several years now and quite often it comes down to one or two missed swims, so this time it was exciting to see the group exceed expectations and quite handily win the meet,” said head coach Mark Bottrill.
The girls 13-14-year-old 200 free relay team of Cassidy Gray, Madisen Jacques, Eva Wen and Allison Shen set the provincial record with their win.
