Swim club makes medals
News
Posted 1 month ago
shirley lin
Today staff
Swimmers of the Fort McMurray Manta Swim
Club put in some good strokes at two provincial swim competitions, bringing home medals, including a record-breaking finish.
Eleven-year-old Hannah Katinas bagged a silver medal in the 50-metre freestyle, making 31.36 seconds at the Alberta Summer Games in Peace River.
"It felt good," said Katinas about her win. "I moved up a place and I took a second off my time."
Katinas was the only member to win a medal at the Games entering the finals, making her one of only six in Alberta to do so.
"To make the finals is really big at the Summer Games because it's really stiff competition," said coach Alex Godbeer.
"I'm very proud of Hannah. She really stepped up to the plate. She's really going to develop into one of the top swimmers, I'm sure, in Alberta."
About the experience at the Games, Katinas said it felt good to be in a city smaller than Fort McMurray and it was a chance to see the different sports. It was her first time, and her last, at the Games after which she will be moving to the United States.
Godbeer was coaching the Mantas for the Games
since the beginning of July at Centennial Pool. She said the training was focused on stroke techniques and turns. In Zone 7 of the Games, six were from Fort McMurray out of the 14 that competed.
"They put in some really
hard work. Some of the
little guys were not used to that amount of training, so they came in and coped really well," Godbeer said.
Joelle Young, another team- mate, also earned a spot
in the finals, but didn't
get a medal spot. In the 800m freestyle, Haley Hunter
dropped over 15 seconds from the best time set at the trials. Spencer Noseworthy, Lochlan Weavers, and Mitchell Krassilowsky, on the boys' side, also put in some "good hard swimming," said Godbeer. Krassilowsky saw a big time drop, particularly for his 200m freestyle of 82 seconds.
At the Canadian National
Age Group in Winnipeg,
Josh Dow was crowned
national champion in the 13-year-old boys 50m backstroke, breaking a club record time of 29.74 seconds.
He also grabbed a bronze medal in the 50 freestyle, plus making finals in all his events. Brodie Dransuta also made finals in the 100m backstroke while Jordan Dunn made the best times at her breakthrough season taking off four seconds in the 50 backstroke.
shirley.lin@fortmcmurraytoday.com
