The Penticton Pikes showed well in their own meet last weekend in the Penticton Community Centre.
Nearly 60 Pikes entered the competition which featured clubs from the Okanagan Valley as well as North Vancouver.
“It seemed that we came together as a team really well,” said Pikes coach Cole Midtdal. “They enjoyed themselves and we swam fast. Having fun doing it is always a bonus.”
The boys finished second overall and the girls third. As a team, they placed fourth. Among the swimmers who stood out to Midtdal were David Paisley, Ryan McMillan, Hanna Marsh de Boer and Madison Seeley.
“Every time she has jumped in the pool, in the last four or five meets, she has been getting best times,” said Midtdal of Seeley. “It’s really awesome to see. Before a race she is getting in a zone.”
“It’s really fun to get best times,” said Seeley.
She credits her success to coming to practice and working hard.
“I just expect myself to swim hard, try and get a best time and make finals and usually I do,” she said. “I feel really confident in myself. I’m nervous when I get up there but as soon as I get on the blocks my confidence kicks in. I’m really excited and I believe in myself.”
Among her best results was fifth in the 50-metre breast stroke, which she completed in 48.05 seconds.
Midtdal said Ryan McMillan has been “kicking butt” in pursuit of provincial records.
“He took off a lot of time from his freestyle,” said Midtdal. “He’s just a machine. We call him Ryan (The Bullet) McMillan.”
McMillan won the 100-m individual medley in 1:27.84, the 50-m freestyle in 34.48, the 50-m butterfly in 41.26 and the 100-m freestyle in 1:14.59. He took second in the 50-m backstroke and breastroke.
McMillan said skipping the meet in Salmon Arm the weekend before helped him. It allowed him to work on his strokes as well as get more work done with Midtdal. McMillan has credited Midtdal with his training.
McMillan’s sister Ashley had a strong meet. She won the 100-m IM in 1:23.46 as well as the 50-m freestyle in 33.01, the 50-m butterfly in 37.23, the 50-m backstroke in 37.73 and the 50-m breast stroke in 42.94.
Midtdal watched as Marsh de Boer earned a top five finish in the 100-m freestyle. She also took third in the 50-m freestyle.
Midtdal was impressed with the swimmers’ desire to continue racing.
“Then they are asking what they can do better,” he said.
Other top Pikes results include: Simon Paisley who took first in the 50-m freestyle in 25.80 as well as the 100-m butterfly, the 50-m butterfly in 28.05, the 100-m backstroke in 1:05.03 and the 100-m freestyle in 57.96. T.J. Paisley, competing in Div 7, took third in the 100-m backstroke in 1:14.06, and second in the 100-m freestyle in 1:00.28. David Paisley had a strong meet. His best result was seventh in the 50-m free, finishing in 29.57 seconds.
Ben Say won the 100-m breast stroke in 1:23.26, took third in the 100 m butterfly in 1:11.76 and third in the 50-m butterfly in 31.37.
In the mixed six and under, Ella Donoghue took second in the 25-m freestyle turtles in 32.55 and Brett Beckingham was third in 33.36. Charlie Bourne took second in the six and under 25-m butterfly turtles in 43.28 and Donoghue took third in 45.46. Donoghue won the 25-m breaststroke in 49.59 and third was Bourne in 53.33.
Avery Wilson took third in the 100-m freestyle in 1:51.78. Cody Thompson, in Div 2, took third in the 50-m backstroke in 46.89 and third in the 100-m freestyle in 1:31.53.
The mixed Div 8 200 m freestyle team took second in the relay in 3:03.01.
The boys relay teams took first and second in Div 1 200-m freestyle. The girls div 3 relay team took third in the 200-m freestyle. The boys Div 3 took third in the 200-m freestyle. The girls Div 6 team took second in the 200-m freestyle. The boys Div 7 team won the 200-m freestyle.