Myslavelake.com

M.Partington-Richer

As they do one last flip and head for the final wall, members of the Sharks swim club are proving they’ve honed their skills and are ready for whatever regional and provincial competitions have to offer. In fact, 21 swimmers earned another seven aggregate medals at their home competition in Slave Lake last weekend.

“I’m so proud of all my swimmers,” Coach Lyla Smith fairly gushed in a Facebook entry Sunday evening after all the tallies were complete. She didn’t say it in so many words, but Smith could have been forgiven for a certain pride in the swims of her own son Michael, who again captured the gold aggregate for Boys 6 and Under – the sixth time in as many meets.

Michael came first in the 25m backstroke, the 100m Individual Medley, and the 25m butterfly, as well as second in the 25m and 50m freestyle races.

For the first time in the season, Michael’s excellence in the water was beaten – fortunately by a teammate in another division the Girls 6 and Under category.

Tayah Livingston captured gold, too, but with five first-place ribbons. They came in the 25m backstroke, the 25m breaststroke, the 25m freestyle, the 50m freestyle and the flutterboard race.

The next Shark up on the aggregate podium was Kimberly Poitras who earned the bronze aggregate for Girls 6 and Under category. She did that by coming third in three races – the 25m backstroke, the 50m freestyle and the flutterboard race.

“That was her first-ever aggregate and I’m so proud of her and how hard she worked for that medal,” said the coach.

Shawn Stephen earned the next bronze aggregate medal for the Sharks, that one in the Boys 11 and 12 year-old division. The medal came after Shawn swam to top spot in the 100m and 200m freestyle races.

Robyn Chemago excelled in the Girls 13 and 14-year-old division, earning a first in the 100m backstroke and second in the 50m and 100m freestyle, as well as the 100m breaststroke – good enough for the silver aggregate in her division.

In the Boys 15 and 16 years category, Kirk Lukan-Ruecker swam his way to a gold aggregate after coming first in the 50m freestyle and 100m backstroke and second in the 100m freestyle and butterfly, as well as the 50m butterfly.

Close on his heels in that division was teammate Nolan Brost who walked away with the silver aggregate medal after winning first in the 50m butterfly and the 200m Individual Medley as well as second place in 50m freestyle and third in the 100m freestyle and butterfly competitions.

Other Sharks who placed in their races included: Lyndsay Chemago who came second in the 100m IM for Girls 11 and 12, and third in the 50m freestyle; Morgan Hogberg who was first in the Boys 15 and over 100m Fly, and second in the Boys 17 and Over 100m freestyle; Erikka Ladouceur who captured third in the 200m Free for Girls 13 and over, the 800m Free for the Girls Open and the 100m Fly for Girls 14 and Under; and Marshall Zachary who was third in the Boys 13 and 14 100m backstroke.

The Sharks also showed their prowess in the teamwork competition, earning four gold and five silver medals in relay races.

The Girls 6 and Under team of Shayla Baril, Tayah Livingston, Julia Smith and Kimberly Poitras won second in the 100m medley relay, and the 100m freestyle relay.

The team of Abigail Zimmer, Lucy Pearson, Lyndsay Sparks and Danielle Brost won second in the Girls 11 and 12 200m Medley Relay as well as the 200m freestyle relay.

In the 13 and 14-year –old girls division, the team consisting of Lindsay and Robyn Chemago, as well as Brianna and Erikka Ladouceur captured first in the 200m Medley Relay as well as the 200m Freestyle Relay.

Not to be left behind, two teams of boys cruised their way to gold in relays at the Slave Lake meet. First was the 15 and 16-year-old team of Kirk Lukan-Ruecker, Nolan Brost, Marcus Zimmer and Shawn Stephen who won the 200m Medley Relay and the 200m Freestyle Relay.

And finally, the team of eight-year-olds Ben McConnell and Ethan Livingston, as well a s six-year-old Michael Smith and 13-year-old Zachary Marshall swam their way to second spot in the 17 years and Over 200m Freestyle Relay.

The Sharks’ regional meet is in Peace River this year, and will take place Aug. 7, 8 and 9. But first there was the year-end celebration for the swimmers and their parents last week. And at the gathering last Wednesday, Smith said she couldn’t be happier with all that the Sharks have accomplished this year.

“I told the swimmers and their parents that I consider each and every swimmer as one of my own. And I’m proud of all their efforts and achievements this year.”