Four Whitehorse Glacier Bears established new personal best times at the B.C. AAA Age Group Championships in Victoria over the weekend.
For Whitehorse’s Adrian Robinson, his personal best times meant amendments to the club’s record book.
Not only did the 12-year-old win three medals at the short-course meet, he set a club record in all five events he swam in.
“They were all his to break,” said Glacier Bears head coach Stephanie Dixon. “He just broke his own club records.”
Swimming in the 12-year-old boys division, Robinson won gold in the 100-metre freestyle, silver in the 100-metre breaststroke and silver in the 50-metre freestyle.
“B.C. is the most competitive province for swimming in our country,” said Dixon. “So the fact that we’re coming from a small town and they can get up and race the best of the best of their age groups is very impressive. It’s all attributed to their work ethic, their dedication and their support for each other.”
The four Glacier Bears posted 16 personal best times in 19 races, reached 10 finals and won six medals.
Also collecting hardware was Cassis Lindsay in the 12-year-old girls division.
Lindsay made the final and produced personal best times in every event.
She won gold in the 100-metre freestyle, silver in the 50-metre freestyle and bronze in the 200-metre backstroke.
Whitehorse’s Luke Bakica, in 12-year-old boys, made one final. Bakica took three seconds off his time to place eighth in the 100-metre breaststroke.
“It was a big deal he was at this meet,” said Dixon. “He didn’t have his AAA qualifier (time) until two weeks ago at AA.
“So he was basically there for the experience and really built himself up to make the final.
“That was a big deal.”
Bakica won gold in the 200-metre breaststroke and silver in the 400-metre freestyle at the B.C. AA Championships in Surrey last month.
Rennes Lindsay, a 10-year-old swimming in girls 11-and-under, placed 10th in the 800-metre freestyle, shaving 45 seconds off her previous best time.
“She really, really stepped it up and raced the girls in an older age group,” said Dixon. “That was the biggest best time. So the most improved swimmer of the weekend goes to Rennes.
“I’m so completely proud of my little guys,” she added. “I was impressed with their professionalism, their focus, their support for each other. The cheering was the same if they were going for a best time or a gold medal. They really got behind each other and that
made me extremely proud to be their coach.”
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com