Swim team fourth in Ontario

County swimmers were among competitors with the Belleville Youth Swim Team who placed fourth out of 38 teams at the Division 3 Provincial Team Championships.  BYST just missed moving up to Division 2 by one place and will be seeded first at this meet next year.

“This was the first of many high level competitions the club will be competing at this season,” says coach Brandon Oates. “Even when racing these tough opponents, every single athlete accepted the challenge and posted incredible results.  Each team is permitted 25 athletes in Division 3, while Division 2 and Division 1 allow 30 and 40, respectively.  The BYST had 86 per cent best times and brought home 28 medals.”

Talia Pappalardo won four gold medals in the 400m IM, 800m freestyle, 100m and 200m backstroke, along with a silver in the 400m freestyle.  Shakil Jiwa earned two gold medals in the 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly, while also receiving silver in the 200m butterfly and a couple bronze in the 200m IM and 400m IM.  Both Pappalardo and Jiwa have qualified for Eastern Canadian Championships in February.  Rafik Jiwa took the gold in the 100m butterfly, plus silver in the 400m IM and a few bronze in the 200m butterfly, 200m IM and 200m breaststroke.  He also qualified for Ontario Festivals and achieved 100 percent best times.  Stephanie Cairns swam to silver in the 800m freestyle, bronze in the 400m IM and 400m freestyle, plus fourth in the 200m freestyle and fifth in the 100m breaststroke.  She achieved three Age Group/Provincial Champs standards which de-qualifies her from Ontario Festivals.  Katelyn Cairns attained the silver in the 200m butterfly and bronze in the 100m butterfly, as well as placing seventh in the 100m freestyle, 200m and 400m IM.  She has qualified for Ontario Festivals and just missed qualifying for Age Group/Provincial Championships, while swimming all personal bests.  Alexander Grant, another Ontario Festivals qualifier, finished in third spot gaining the bronze in both the 200m freestyle and 400m freestyle.  He placed fourth in the 200m backstroke and 200m IM, as well as finishing sixth in the 100m backstroke.

Liam Jarvis raced a in a couple finals in the extremely fast senior men’s division.  He earned seventh spot in the 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle.  He also achieved Age Group/Provincial standard in the 50m freestyle.  Melissa Dingle placed fifth in the 200m butterfly and seventh in the 100m butterfly, achieving the Ontario Festivals standard in both races.  She also had 100 percent best times.  Courtney Buchanan raced in the 100m breaststroke final and took eighth spot.  Benjamin Isaak dropped a ton of time in the 200m butterfly and finished seventh overall in the 200m butterfly, while getting personal bests in all events.  Lobsang Wangkhang placed top eight in her 400 IM and had four best times.

BYST athletes who swam all personal bests included Katherine Beaumont, Ryan Jarvis, Mackenzie Latter, Madeline McGillen, Kaitlin Morrison, Jenna O’Neill, Nate Shiers-Redhead and Lauren Taylor.  Ashley Allaire, Matthew Horwood, Isaac Jarvis, Jeremy Moher, Emily Morrison and Philip Savic all had very impressive showings.  Relays were a huge contributing factor to overall team standings as the points were doubled.  The 11 and 12 male relay team, consisting of Grant, Moher, Shields-Redhead and Rafik Jiwa, earned the silver in the medley relay.  The 13 and 14 female team, consisting of Pappalardo, Dingle and both Cairns sisters, achieved bronze in both the freestyle and medley relay.  In the 13 and 14 boys relay, both Jiwa brothers, along with Ryan Jarvis and Isaac Jarvis, took the bronze in the freestyle relay.

To start 2013 off, BYST will be hosting their first ever full length meet, including finals  at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre  on January 12 and 13.  It will feature athletes from Whitby, Peterborough, Kingston, Port Hope, Amherstview, Ottawa, Nepean, Clarington and Queen’s University.  “The meet will likely generate around $50,000 into the community between hotels, restaurants and shopping,” says Oates, adding “many coaches from all over Ontario have expressed interest in attending a competition at the new aquatic facility.  The large eight lanes definitely make it one of the fastest 25m pools in the province.”