Competing against older swimmers proved to be a challenge for Samuel Lasinski.
The member of the KISU Swim Club was on the Thompson-Okanagan team for the B.C. Summer Games and found himself up against 14 year olds.
“As a 13-year-old you don’t usually do that,” he said.
Lasinski won three silver medals (100-metre back stroke, 200-m breaststroke and the medley) and a bronze in the free relay. While he was happy with his performance, he still felt he could have been better. Lasinski admitted to being nervous but became comfortable after opening day. While he was pleased to return home with four medals, he also enjoyed meeting people from the region.
“As a region, you make friends and rivalries with other people,” said Lasinski.
Thompson-Okanagan swim coach Tina Hoeben said she was proud of how well both (Lasinski and Payton Nackoney, who won two gold and a bronze medal) swam.
“They both brought home medals and had to swim fast to achieve their results,” said Hoeben, adding that the summer games are great for building confidence and inspiring athletes to reach the next level.
“It also gives them a ‘games’ experience — odd hours, not perfect accommodations, cafeteria food, etc.,” she said. “I think the racing success that they had there will take them far into their future events.”
As for other Thompson-Okanagan athlete performances, Nicole Mann of Okanagan Falls competed in track and field and finished sixth in the 300-metre relay and helped the girls 4x400-m relay take fourth. Summerland’s Haven Dufty placed fifth in the triple jump and sixth in the 80-m hurdle.
Keremeos’ Noah Beglaw placed seventh in in triathlon. The boy’s box lacrosse team with Penticton’s Connor Walton and Tanner and Levi Thompson placed fourth. Penticton’s Adrian Schimmer helped the soccer team place fourth. Matt Brodt, Matt Jones, Chase Decosse, Tayler Kanke and assistant coach Axel Scott helped the baseball team placed fifth. Logan Mend and Blair Anderson of Naramata placed fourth in beach volleyball, while Penticton’s Ty Moorman and Tanner Johnson of Kaleden placed eighth.
The Thompson-Okanagan zone won 46 medals (15 gold, 17 silver and 14 bronze) and placed fifth in the overall standings.
Vancouver Island-Central Coast topped the standings with 160 medals, including 57 gold. The Fraser Valley was second with 153 medals and Vancouver-Squamish was third with 127 medals. B.C. Summer Games staff hopes to have final results posted by the end of the week.