Etobicoke Wins Team Banner on Final Day of Canadian Junior Championships

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Photo Courtesy: Scott Grant

By Brian Palaschuk, Swimming World College Intern.

After four days of fast swimming, the fifth and final night of the 2018 RBC Canadian Junior Championships took place tonight at Pan Am Pool. Tonight’s events featured the 50 freestyle, 200 IM, 400 freestyle, and the 400 medley relays.

Tonight was a big night for Edmonton native Emma O’Croinen as well as Calgary’s Cole Pratt. O’Croinen finished off her exhausting schedule with 10 medals, and Pratt collected an astounding 11 medals to end his meet. Also reaching the podium tonight were 13-year-old Etobicoke standout Katrina Bellio and star sprinters Joshua Liendo and Guillermo Cruz Zuniga. Winnipeg natives also picked up two medals tonight that came at the hands of Sarah Watson and Daniel Boguski.

Women’s 50 Free

The first final in this splash-and-dash was the 13-14 girls competition. Andrea Kraetzer had the jets to take the win tonight, touching in 26.57. That was a personal best for Kraetzer, who entered the meet with a time of 26.80.

Elan Daley of Etobicoke was second, and Oakville’s Dylan Scholes finished third.

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Hometown girl Watson had another strong swim tonight to take her second gold of the meet. It came in the women’s 15-17 50 freestyle, where Watson dropped 0.28 from her personal best and closed in on the 26 second barrier for the win.

Sixteen-year-old Raphaelle Dandois-Samson of Montreal was second, and Elizabeth Ling of Calgary finished a close third.

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Men’s 50 Free

Liendo of North York has been having a great battle throughout this meet with Pratt of Calgary, and tonight was no exception. So far, Liendo had the better hand in the shorter races – that held true tonight as he blew away the field to win the 14-15 50 freestyle in a speedy 23.36.

It was not Pratt who touched second, but 100 freestyle bronze medalist Edouard Fullum-Huot, who upgraded to silver in the shorter distance. Pratt collected his ninth medal of the meet – a bronze in 24.25.

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Cruz Zuniga has been having a great meet of his own, particularly in the sprint events. Tonight, he touched first to win the 16-18 50 freestyle with a 23.07, just 0.08 off the elusive 23 second barrier. Cruz trains in Montreal but will be representing Mexico at the Junior Pan Pacs, so look out for him to make waves come Fiji.

James Lebuke finished second, and Winnipeg native Boguski claimed the bronze.

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Women’s 200 IM

It was a good race up until 100 meters in the 13-14 girls 200 IM. At the 100 mark, last night’s 200 backstroke champ Regan Rathwell was leading, but 100 breast champ Ashley McMillan was right behind.

McMillan blew past her on the breaststroke, and then Bellio and Catherine Minic entered the race. The pair threw down identical 32.06 freestyle splits to pass Rathwell on the home stretch to claim silver and bronze respectively.CJC-13-14-200IM

It was another exciting race in the 15-17 edition of the event, where 15-year-old Asia Minnes of Montreal jumped out to an early lead. Minnes turned at the 100 in 1:03.74, which was over a full second ahead of Calgary’s Shannon Meadway. Meadway had the speed in the breast and free legs but couldn’t quite close the gap on Minnes, who touched for the win in 2:18.13.

O’Croinen collected her ninth medal of the meet to round out the podium.

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Men’s 200 IM

Pratt threw down a great last 50 in 28.58 to win his tenth medal of the meet – another gold – in the 14-15 boys 200 IM. 400 IM champ Jacob Gallant also had a great finish en route to a silver medal. Gallant is having a fast meet himself. Notably, his time of 2:06.15 was over two seconds faster than his previous best time.

Kevin Park went out with the leaders in the first 100 and managed to hold on for third.

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In what has become more of the norm in the last few days, the 14-15 age category was actually faster than the 16-18 in the 200 IM tonight.

Graysen Bernard of Toronto won the event in 2:07.28. Bernard had a very quick first 100 (58.77) but faded over the back stretch, finishing in 31.31. James LeBuke did the opposite, closing in 28.68 to take the silver ahead of Guelph’s James Steele.

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Women’s 400 Free

Bellio ran away with the win in the 13-14 400 freestyle. Her time of 4:23.60 was over four seconds ahead of silver medalist Naeva Scott Bouris.

The 13-year-old from Etobicoke had a fantastic meet, collecting seven medals in the pool portion. She will have a chance to collect an eighth in the open water competition tomorrow. Bellio will also get one more crack to improve on her medal count in this age group next year as a 14-year-old.

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O’Croinen continued to impress in the 15-17 400 freestyle. Once again she won in Ledeckian fashion, over 4 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor. Incredibly, this was O’Croinen’s tenth podium performance in her exhausting meet schedule.

Kyla Ross and Brooke Switzer had a great race for the silver, and it was Ross who held on for the win in 4:19.82 to Switzer’s 4:19.95.

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Men’s 400 Free

After four days of minor medals, Ian Friesen had his moment atop the podium in the men’s 400 freestyle. Friesen went out fast, flipping in first all the way through 350 meters. The race really began at that last wall as 800 champ Alex Axon made a hard charge, closing in a 29.40 to Friesen’s 30.21. It was not enough, however, as Axon’s surge came too late; he would have to settle for the silver.

Eric Brown was a distant third.

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Raben Dommann completed his sweep of the distance in the 16-18 boys 400 freestyle winning it in the only sub four minute time – 3:59.56.

Alex Katelnikoff and Dimitry Lim rounded out the top 3.

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Women’s 400 Medley Relay

Hannah Henderson has been the captain of clutch all weekend and was back at it again tonight, anchoring Etobicoke for the win in 56.42. Henderson has been incredibly consistent on the relays this weekend and has been instrumental in all four of Etibicoke’s relay wins.

Neptune Natation settled for second, and Calgary’s Cascade swim club came in third.

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Men’s 400 Medley Relay

Etobicoke has had great relays all weekend, and they doubled up again tonight with another clutch anchor leg – this time from Justin Konik. Konik closed in 51.21 to pass Point Claire’s Patrick Hussey over the final 100 meters.

Cascade Swim Club claimed the bronze: Pratt’s tenth medal of the meet.

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In the team competition, it was Etobicoke who came away with the championship banner, collecting 1,577 points. Cascade Swim Club came second with 1,236 points, and Pointe Claire was third with 1,195 points.

Click this link for the complete live results: Live Results.

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