A Glacier Bears team of one swimmer produced some top results over the weekend.
Whitehorse’s Alex Petriw sped to three medals at the 2016 Swim B.C. Long Course AA Championships in Kamloops.
“It was lots of fun. The meet went really well,” said Petriw. “There were a lot of good kids there from all over B.C. … There were lots of good competition and the event was really fun …
“I’m really proud of my performance this weekend.”
Petriw won two gold and a bronze in freestyle events in the boys 12-13 division at the championships.
The 13-year-old captured gold in the 400-metre at 5:02.92 and gold in the 1,500-metre at 20:05.54.
“The kids beside me were good competition, but I was able to get away from them,” said Petriw. “I thought both races went really well.”
Petriw also took bronze in the 200-metre freestyle (2:24.51), fourth in the 200-metre backstroke at 2:43.95 – just 0.91 seconds behind the bronze medalist from Kelowna – and eighth in the 50-metre free (31.32).
He posted personal best long course times in all seven of his events in Kamloops.
“We only have a 25-metre pool in Whitehorse, so it’s tough. We always have to come down south to get in the long course meets and that can be a challenge to some,” said Petriw.
This past February Petriw reached five finals at the 2016 B.C. Short Course AA Swim Championships.
He also won bronze in the 800 free at the 2014 B.C. short course championships before winning three gold and a silver – all in freestyle – at the 2014 B.C. long course championships.
Members of the Glacier Bears will next compete at the B.C. Long Course AAA Championships in Victoria July 7-10.
Contact Tom Patrick at tomp@yukon-news.com