Bois, Hurd, Oriwol, Blackburn, Soucisse Win Third Individual Golds at Speedo East Canadian Nationals

MONTREAL, Canada, February 19. MATHIEU Bois of Montreal, Lisa Blackburn of Waterloo, Ont., and Gabrielle Soucisse of Beaconsfield, Que., completed golden stroke sweeps on Sunday to conclude the Speedo East Nationals short course swimming competition.

Bois, a Commonwealth Games team member last year, swept the breaststroke events including Sunday's 100-meter race in 1:00.79 finishing ahead of veteran John Stamhuis of Levis, Que.

Blackburn completed a breaststroke sweep on the women's side winning her 100-meter race in 1:09.57 with Helen Pitchik of Toronto in second place.

Soucisse, 16, took the women's 100 backstroke in 28.69 with Landice Yestrau of Winnipeg second. Soucisse also won the 50 and 200 backstrokes this weekend.

Also collecting a third gold medal was Andrew Hurd of Toronto with a victory in the men's 200-meter freestyle and Tobias Oriwol of Pointe-Claire, Que., in the men's 400 IM. Oriwol also won the 200 IM and 200 butterfly. Hurd, tuning up for next month's world championships, took the 100 freestyle and 400 freestyle.

Stephanie Horner of Beaconsfield was also a triple winner this weekend with wins in the 200 butterfly, 200 IM and 400 freestyle on Friday and Saturday.

On Sunday, Horner was a close second to Monika Stitski of Etobicoke in the women's 400 IM. Stitski clocked 4:40.04 and Horner 4:40.43. World team members Audrey Lacroix and Geneviève Saumur, both of Montreal, were also winners Sunday in the 100 butterfly and 200 freestyle, respectively. Zsofia Balazs of Toronto won the 800 freestyle.

Other winners in men's competition were Felix Renaud of Boucherville, Que., in the 50 backstroke, Thomas Kindler of Montreal in the 100 butterfly and Francesco Zuccaro of Etobicoke, Ont., in the 1,500 freestyle.

Renaud's gold was a second victory this weekend for the TNTC Club in Boucherville. On Friday, Sandrine Mainville took the women's 50 butterfly.

The high point aggregate awards went to Hurd and Horner; the swim of the meet awards went to Zuccaro for his performance in the1,500 freestyle and Saumur in the 200 freestyle. Club de Natation des piscines du parc olympique won the overall and men's team award. Etobicoke Swimming took the women's team award.

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