Submitted
The Swift Current Barracudas Swim Club stood out once again at the annual Saskatchewan “A” Provincial Championships in Moose Jaw on March 10-12. The meet was a congregation of top “A” level swimmers and brought together 12 swim clubs in Saskatchewan to compete for Championships.
The meet began on Friday evening with 50 Metre Butterfly, 50 Backstroke, 50 Breaststroke, 50 Freestyle and the 1,500 Freestyle event. Jo Carleton, Veda Gottselig, Zoe Gottselig, Leah Sletten, Zachary Potter, Lucas Potter and Matt Unger made their way into finals by finishing top 10 in these events.
“The Barracudas continued to make history, these swimmers were definitely getting faster every second spent in the water,” said coach Gary Cheung.
Beginning the second day of the Championships, Sletten captured her first gold medal in the 10&U category 400 Freestyle, while Veda Gottselig won silver and Carleton won bronze in the 11-12 category.
First time competitor Greta Lopeter posted her best time swim in the 200 Metre Backstroke in 3:15.15 and finished sixth overall. Young and rising star Erica Saemann finished in fifth place in the 100 Butterfly. The highlight of the evening went to Leah Sletten and Veda Gottselig, when both competed in the 200 Individual Medley finals and finished first back to back.
The excitement continued on Sunday morning. Sletten finished first in 100 Freestyle. Veda captured another gold in 100 Backstroke and Carleton won a bronze in 100 Freestyle. Lucas Potter captured two silver medals in the 50 Backstroke and 50 Freestyle and a bronze medal in 100 Freestyle. Lopeter finished ninth place in both 100 Backstroke and 100 Freestyle with her new personal best.
Ending the Championships on Sunday afternoon was the Barracudas 12-13 boys relay team, who won a silver medal in the 4×50 Metre Freestyle Relay. The members were Lucas Potter, Seth Unger, Matt Unger and Liam Rayner.
The Barracudas concluded the Provincials Championships and Junior Cup with a total of 11 gold medals, six silver and six bronze medals.
“Proud of this team, the results really speak for themselves,” concluded Cheung.
Congratulations to the Barracudas swimmers for their outstanding performance:
Jo Carleton (12)
50 Back: 38.76 (3rd place); 100 Free: 1:15.34 (3rd place); 400 Free: 5:38.53 (3rd place); 100 Back: 1:25.51 (5th place); 100 Breast: 1:38.21 (8th place); 50 Breast: 46.19.
Amryne Duncalfe (9)
200 Free: 3:19.00 (9th place); 50 Back: 51.38; 100 Breast: 2:02.25; 100 Back: 1:50.33; 100 Free: 1:32.73.
Veda Gottselig (12)
50 Back: 35.52 (1st place); 200 Back: 2:51.12 (1st place); 200 Free: 2:40.02 (1st place); 200 IM: 2:51.07 (1st place); 100 Back: 1:20.87 (1st place); 400 Free: 5:26.13 (2nd place); 50 Breast: 41.59 (3rd place); 100 Breast: 1:32.46.
Zoe Gottselig (8)
50 Breast: 55.41 (10th place); 50 Back: 56.82; 50 Free: 48.66; 200 Back: 4:14.96; 200 Free: 3:57.85; 100 Breast: 2:02.09; 100 Free: 1:44.18.
Greta Lopeter (11)
200 Back: 3:15.15 (6th place); 100 Back: 1:31.00 (9th place); 100 Free: 1:20.23 (9th place); 50 Back: 43.00; 50 Free: 38.59.
Juli Mittelholtz (8)
50 Back: 54.84; 50 Breast: 1:21.58; 200 Back: 4:08.78; 200 Free: 4:06.33; 100 Back: 2:00.34; 100 Free: 1:55.88.
Lucas Potter (12)
50 Back: 38.54 (2nd place); 50 Free: 31.87 (2nd place); 200 Free: 2:33.62 (2nd place); 100 Breast: 1:38.98 (3rd place); 100 Free: 1:10.63 (3rd place); 200 Back: 3:09.99 (4th place); 100 Back: 1:28.02 (5th place); 400 Free: 5:46.79.
Zachary Potter (9)
50 Breast: 52.59 (5th place); 100 Breast: 2:01.49 (9th place); 50 Free: 46.60; 200 Back: 4:46.62; 200 Free: 4:00.97; 100 Free: 1:47.86.
Liam Rayner (10)
100 Back: 1:48.12 (10th place); 50 Free: 40.86; 200 Free: 3:43.32; 100 Free: 1:34.47.
Erica Saemann (9)
100 Fly: 2:11.51 (5th place); 50 Fly: 52.49; 50 Back: 49.52; 50 Free: 43.95; 200 Back: 4:02.24; 100 Breast: 1:59.17; 100 Back: 1:40.54; 100 Free: 1:35.80.
Leah Sletten (10)
200 IM: 3:06.66 (1st place); 100 Free: 1:17.94 (1st place); 50 Back: 39.29 (1st place); 50 Free: 33:82 (1st place); 400 Free: 6:01.94 (1st place); 50 Fly: 40.75 (2nd place); 200 Back: 3:17.07 (4th place).
Jack Unger (8)
50 Free: 58.51; 200 Free: 4:40.59; 100 Back: 2:42.81; 100 Free: 2:12.63.
Matt Unger (12)
50 Back: 45.66 (9th place); 50 Free: 36.26; 200 Free: 3:14.90; 100 Back: 1:40.25; 100 Free: 1:25.44.
Seth Unger (12)
400 Free: 6:20.29 (6th place); 50 Back: 45.07 (10th place); 200 Free: 3:05.72 (10th place); 50 Free: 37.06; 100 Back: 1:41.14; 100 Free: 1:26.51.
