Okotoks swimming had its fingerprints all over Canada’s best of the west competition.
The Okotoks Mavericks produced a combined six medals, four club records and an 18th place finish as a club at the Western Canadian Swimming Championships in Winnipeg.
“Westerns is a tapered meet and it’s all of Western Canada,” said Mavericks swimmer Lucy Wiens, a double-medallist at westerns. “The biggest difference is there’s a ready room, where you go to this room and check in, get ready for your race and you walk out. It’s very official.”
Wells Ginzer was golden in the butterfly, topping the field in the 50m and 100m race, along with a silver medal in 50m backstroke and bronze in the 100m freestyle.
The 17-year-old posted Olympic trials qualifying standard swims in the 100m backstroke, freestyle, butterfly and 50m freestyle events along with five Canadian senior national qualifying and four Canadian junior national qualifying races in Manitoba.
Wiens posted a pair of medal performances and three record breaking swims.
The 15-year-old won silver in 50m backstroke and bronze in 100m backstroke.
Her 50m backstroke time of 29.75 set an age group and overall club record in the 50m backstroke, while setting Mavericks benchmarks in 50m freestyle (27.22) and 100m backstroke (1:05.02).
“The 50 back was really unexpected for me,” Wiens said. “I was going in sixth into the final and really getting a best time was all that I wanted and getting a medal was a cherry on top.”
Wiens’ 100m’ backstroke and 50m freestyle swims met the Olympic trials qualifying standards along with two Canadian senior national and two Canadian junior national qualifying standard finishes.
“I’ve especially been working on the 100 and the 200 because the 50s are not Olympic events,”
Wiens added. “And trying to work on everything and not be one specific stroke.”
The Mavericks were also represented at the Westerns by Mackenzie Hurd, Mikayla Paul, Rylee Flora and Alexander Holt.
Hurd, 17, broke her own club record in the 50m freestyle in 27.83 seconds and finished 16th.
Paul, 14, earned a 10th place finish in 50m backstroke and was eleventh in the 100m backstroke. Her 50m finish met the Canadian senior national qualifying standard.
For more information, go to okotoksmavericks.com.
