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Gators gobble up gold, silver and bronze

It was a madhouse of activity that resulted in a number of top finishes for local swimmers at the Ponoka Gators Summer Swim Club.
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Ponoka's Darcy Hoogers glides through the pool in the 50m breaststroke at the Gators swim meet at the Ponoka Aquaplex on Saturday

It was a madhouse of activity that resulted in a number of top finishes for local swimmers at the Ponoka Gators Summer Swim Club meet earlier this month.

The meet, which took place on Saturday, July 16, saw the local club send 39 swimmers diving into the pool at the Ponoka Aquaplex with several paddling away with medals.

On the boys’ side, Brock Corbett and Reef Lehocky each earned five medals, while Daniel Lehr-Nichols and Aiden McTaggart walked off with four apiece.

Corbett, in the six-year and under class, grabbed silver in the 25m flutter plus the 25m and 50m free to go with two bronze in the 25m and 50m backstroke with Lehocky taking gold in 200m, 100m, 50m and 25m free in the 9 and 10-year-old class as well as silver in the 25m butterfly.

In the 13 and 14-year-old class, Lehr-Nichols took first in the 200m free, second in the 100m and 25m free then third in the 100m breaststroke while McTaggert earned a pair of silver medals in the 200m and 50m free along with a bronze in the 25m free as well as winning the 14 and under 800m free.

The rest of the boys’ medals came from Ocean Lehocky in the 7 and 8-year-old class with first in the 25m free and second in the 50m free and Ethan Smith with bronze in the 25m flutter, Owen Thompson taking third in the 13 and 14-year-old 50m backstroke and Darcy Hoogers with bronze in the 15 to 17-year-old 100m breaststroke.

The girls results were also really promising with 10 individuals capturing medals.

Emma McCormick showed she was a force to be reckoned with by going home with five golds in the 18 and over class, posting victories in the 50m breaststroke, 50m and 100m butterfly, 25m free and 200m individual medley.

Katelynn Korchinski, in the 15 to 17-year-old class, along with Aspen McTaggart in the 11 and 12-year-olds each captured four medals. Korchinski took second in the 25m and 50m free, the 50m breaststroke and 50m butterfly with McTaggart getting silver in the 50m backstroke and third in the 50m butterfly and the 200m and 100m free.

Ponoka did very well in the 13 and 14 year-old-class with Mariah Chishom winning the 200m free, Emily David taking third in the 100m butterfly to go with her gold in the 14 and under 800m free and Paisly Wilson finished second in the 100m backstroke and third in the 50m free.

The rest of the medal haul was courtesy of Tori Christiansen with a first in the 25m free in the 11 and 12-year-old class while Kate Hollingsworth was second in the 200m IM and 50m breaststroke plus third in the 50m free, Laura Wilson winning the 9 and 10-year-old class 50m breaststroke and silver in the 25m breaststroke and 100m free and Nautica-Pearl Lehocky with gold in the 7 and 8-year-old 25m Free and silver in the 25m breaststroke and 25m backstroke

The Gators also ate up the competition in the relays, garnering five golds, three silver and a pair of bronze medals.

Gold came from the girls in the 10 and under 100m medley and the 200m open free and medley relays and in the boys 14 and under 100m medley and 200m free. The silver was in the 12 and under girls 200m free and the boys eight and under 100m free and medley while the bronze came via the 10 and under class in the girls and boys 100m free.