Widgett qualifies for Canadian Swimming Championships

NEWS RELEASE SAULT STE.

NEWS RELEASE

SAULT STE. MARIE AQUATIC CLUB

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This past weekend swimmers from Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, South Dakota, Virginia, and Lebanon competed at the Ontario Swim International (OJI) at the Toronto Pan American Games Swimming Complex (TPASC).

This world class facility completed in October, features two fifty meter pools, a diving tank, high performance lab and acts as the Canadian Sport Centre – Toronto and the Ontario Swimming Academy.

Seventeen-year-old Paul Widgett qualified for Canadian Swimming Championships in Pointe Claire, Quebec in August 2015 while on his way to setting a Northeastern (NEOR) and Sault Ste Marie Aquatic Club (SSMAC) record for the 50 meter freestyle.

Widgett’s time eclipses Brian Lee’s four-year old NEOR and SSMAC record from team championship in April 2010.

Paul made the top eight final for this event in the 50 meter freestyle, however was unable to lower his time in finals and placed eighth overall.

Widgett also made the 100 meter butterfly B final (top 16) and moved up four spots in the final to go a lifetime personal best of 56.85, while finishing third.

Widgett was one of only two swimmers qualified for this event from Northeastern Region.

Paul will be in competition this coming weekend at the Swim Ontario Divisional Championships in Sudbury Laurentian with 34 of his SSMAC teammates.

The other performances of note in the OJI included the following:

National Records

15-17 Girls 100 Back – Danielle Hanus – NEW – 58.19 (also an Ontario 15-17 and Open record)

13-14 Girls 50 Free – Rebecca Smith – Red Deer Catalina Swim Club – 25.40

13-14 Girls 100 Free – Penny Oleksiak – TSC – 54.49 (also an Ontario 13-14 record)

13-14 Girls 200 Free – Penny Oleksiak – TSC – 1:57.43 (also an Ontario 13-14 record)

Ontario Records

15-17 Girls 100 Fly – Danika Huizinga – AJAX – 59.55

15-17 Boys 100 Back – Javier Acevedo – AJAX – 52.90

13-14 Girls 50 Free – Penny Oleksiak – TSC – 25.51

John Seliskar (National Capital Aquatic, Virgina) was the Male Aggregate High Point award winner as wellas the Male World Class Performance award winner with his 200 fly which ranks him 7th in the world and Newmarket Stingrays Danielle Hanus was the female winner of the Aggregate High Point and Female World Class Performance with her 100 back ranking her 20th in the world.

Swim Ontario executive director noted ‘There is a small amount of pride in having been able to take the vision from 24 months ago, with all of those challenges, and build it into a viable first-class competition.

We had tremendous support from our officials, volunteers, staff and Board of Directors in achieving the goal of developing what we hope will grow into a world class swim meet. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed to that success.

In the next few weeks, as we move forward with planning next year’s event, we are going to assess both our successes and challenges and evaluate all of the opportunities we may have to make the event better.

Certainly having our friends from the United States return in force is one goal, as is inviting, encouraging and convincing

our European colleagues to attend this event as well.

Up next, is a competition hosting program that includes the Para Pan Am Trials in March followed two weeks later by the Swimming Canada Pan Am Trials and then of course many of our volunteers and officials will go into the Pan Am and Para Pan Am games mode.

We have a busy 12 months ahead for our talented team of volunteers.

A big thank you also has to go out to our sponsors, particularly NikeSwim, Nothers and Team Aquatic Supplies who have been supportors for this competition.’

SSMAC will be hosting the 2015 NEOR Dave Kensit Championships in January at the John Rhodes Community Centre and extends a welcome to all parents and spectators to this three day regional level event.

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