The Ponoka Pool Sharks 2011-2012 swim season has drawn to a close, and what a huge success it was.
For a competitive swimmer, summertime marks a well-deserved rest after 10 months in the pool logging close to 20,000 metres a week. The Sharks worked hard this season with great dedication and perseverance. The personal commitment to their swimming and their team resulted in a successful season.
Attending five meets throughout the long course season brought a great deal of personal best times for the nine remaining swimmers. Sharks survived the freeze at Red Deer’s 60th annual Freeze or Fry meet, in June. There was some fantastic racing by all eight sharks who attended, bringing home 22 medals and a first place team per capita award as well.
Brigham and Hyrum Day attended Alberta Age Group Trials in Lethbridge. Brigham won a silver medal in the boys’ 13 and 14 100-metre breaststroke.
July 4 to 7 brought the Alberta Senior and Age Group Provincial Championships in Edmonton in that Caleb Froese, Lanny Wildcat, Blake Shimp and Mckenna Christensen attended. All Sharks had a lot of personal best times throughout the competition. Mckenna won a bronze medal in the girls 11 and 12 50-metre breaststroke event, as well as achieved a Youth Recognition Top 25 Canadian Swimmer Award.
Mckenna Christensen now has her sights set on Canadian Age Group National Championships July 25 to 30 held in Calgary, in which she has qualified in the 200-metre breaststroke.
—Submitted