ANTIGONISH, N.S. — This year’s competition may be over for most members of the Port Hawkesbury Antigonish Swim Team (PHAST), but for three members, AA Spring Championships was a stepping stone to the AAA championships this coming July.
During the June 7 to 9 swimming meet at the Oland Centre, PHAST finished fourth overall, in a hotly contested competition.
PHAST swimmers had a good showing at the meet, with three swimmers finishing with AAA qualifying times.
Matthew Penner and Cein Kennedy had two AAA qualifying times each, going into the meet and made their third require times.
Josh Elsworth made all three times he needed to make it to the AAA level during the weekend swimming meet.
“This meet marks the end of a competition season for most of PHAST,” Linda MacDougall Penner wrote in an email to the Casket. “Although eight swimmers are now qualified for the Ken Dunn AAA Provincial Championships in July.
The AA Championships featured 160 competitive AA swimmers, on 14 teams gathered at the Oland Centre.
Placings
Cein Kennedy earned AAA qualification and a high aggregate point medal for boys 12 and under, with a fifth-place finish in the 50m breaststroke, fourth place finish in the 50m freestyle second place finish in the 100m freestyle and first place finishes in the 1500m, 200m freestyle and backstroke.
Josh Elsworth earned a straight flush of AAA-qualifying times and top aggregate point medal for boys 15 and over on the weekend, swimming to third in the 100m and 50 backstroke events; second place in the 200m backstroke and first in the 200m, 100m and 50m freestyle.
Matthew Penner completed qualifying times for AAA, earned the gold high aggregate medal for top points earned for 15 and over boys. Penner swam to first place in the 100, 200 and 50m breaststroke events and the 100m butterfly. Penner also finished fourth in the 100m freestyle and third in the 50m butterfly.
Hannah Austen swam to first place in the 400m individual medley (I.M.), third place in the freestyle 200m, and fifth place in the 50m breaststroke,
Chase Cooper placed sixth in the 200m I.M., fifth in the 100m breaststroke and third in the 100m freestyle.
In the 200m I.M. Emma Crispo placed fifth, while placing third in the 100m breaststroke and second in the 50m breaststroke.
Sophie Hannah placed second in the 100m butterfly; third in 400m I.M.; fourth in the 200m I.M. and sixth in the 200m freestyle.
Core Kehoe swam to sixth place in the 400m and fourth in the 100m freestyle events.
Olivia Langley’s swimming helped the women’s 13-14 relay team achieve fifth and sixth-place finishes.
Oliver Long placed third in the 50m and 100m freestyle events, as well as fourth in the 100m breaststroke and fifth in the 400m freestyle.
Lily MacLean powered through to first place in the 200m breaststroke; second in the 200m, 50m and 100m breaststroke and sixth place in the 200m I.M.
Colleen MacLeod finished third in the 100m freestyle and took fifth place in the 50m and 100m backstroke.
Jacob Pinkohs earned second place in the 50m backstroke, 100 and 50m butterfly events, as well as sixth in the 200m freestyle and third in the 50m freestyle.
