Two members of the Barrhead Swim Club have qualified for provincial championships over the next two months, based on their results from a Jan. 25-26 meet in Sherwood Park.
Sydney Miller will be going to the Short Course Provincials from March 13-15 in Calgary, while Kyler Demskie will be heading to Winter Festival North — the provincials for swimmers 11 and under — on Feb. 22-23 in Spruce Grove.
Both swimmers qualified for their respective provincials at the Neil Lepps Memorial Invitational in Sherwood Park over a week ago.
Not only did Sydney and Kyler both win gold medals in the 50-metre backstroke for their respective age groups, they also had to meet a provincial standard time, said Jaclyn Neuman, registrar for the Barrhead Swim Club.
Despite qualifying in the 50-metre backstroke for their respective provincials, both swimmers have the option of choosing other events to compete in.
Neuman noted this is the first time they have sent swimmers on to provincials since the new Barrhead Regional Aquatic Centre opened.
Besides Sydney’s gold medal in the 50-metre backstroke at Sherwood Park, she also won gold medals in the 50-metre breaststroke, 100-metre breaststroke and 200-metre medley, as well as silver in the 50-metre freestyle and bronze in the 400-metre freestyle.
Sydney, who is 14, also earned a gold medal in the overall age group aggregate.
“You earn points for every placing you get, and she had the most points for her age group,” Neuman explained.
In addition to her medals from Sherwood Park, she earned seven gold and silver medals in seven events at a December meet in Ponoka.
Despite having a great season so far, Sydney admits the competition “is going to be a lot harder” during the provincials at Calgary.
Kyler, who is nine years old, also earned a silver medal in the 50-metre breastroke and bronze medals in the 100-metre freestyle, 50-metre butterfly and 100-metre medley at Sherwood Park.
Other medal results from Sherwood Park are as follows:
Samantha Hallock, who was born in 2003, scored gold medals in the 50-metre backstroke and 400-metre freestyle, along with a silver medal in the 50-metre butterfly.
Brooklyn Kramm, who was born in 2011, earned a silver medal in the 25-metre butterfly and two bronze medals in the 25-metre breaststroke and 25-metre freestyle.
Joni Grossenbacher, who was born in 2007, earned a silver medal in the 400-metre freestyle.
Kevin Berger, TownandCountryToday.com
