SWIM MEET.
Muskoka Aquatic Club member Emma Barnes swims the 100-metre backstroke during the Splash for Cash competition Dec. 6 at the Bracebridge Sportsplex. Barnes, 13, has qualified for both the provincial championships in Etobicoke and the Eastern Canadian championships in Ottawa. Both competitions are being held this month.
File photo by Karen Longwell
Coming off a six gold medal win at the Barrie regionals, Muskoka Aquatic Club (MUSAC) swimmer Emma Barnes, 13, will join teammates at two important upcoming meets.
Barnes was one of 16 Muskoka swimmers at the Huronia regional swimming championships, held Jan. 30-31. The meet brings together top swimmers ranging in age from 10 to 18, said MUSAC coach Mark Shivers.
Barnes took the gold medal in all six of her individual races, said Shivers.
She competed in the 100-metre freestyle, 800-m freestyle, 100-m backstroke, 200-m backstroke, 200-m individual medley and 400-m individual medley.
“She really broke through at that meet,” said Shivers.
Barnes has been training very hard all year and is passionate about the sport, he said. “She is a very dedicated athlete. (She) rarely misses a practice.”
Barnes qualified for both the provincial championships in Etobicoke at the end of the month and the Eastern Canadian championships in Ottawa, also being held this month.
Shivers said five MUSAC swimmers are going to the Eastern Canadian championships: Barnes, Sarah Graham, 15, Meredith Cooper, 16, and Whitney Anne Donaldson, 15.
Corey Helie-Masters, 18, will swim the freestyle and breaststroke at the Eastern Canadian championships.
Cooper will swim in the freestyle; backstroke and breaststoke events. Donaldson will swim in the breaststroke and freestyle events. Graham qualified for the relay event along with Cooper, Donaldson and Barnes.
This year, MUSAC is sending more swimmers to the Eastern Canadian championships than in the past 10 years, said Shivers, adding it is exciting for the club.
“It is a national championship event and it brings together all the top swimmers in the country from Manitoba over to the eastern provinces,” said Shivers.
There are no age categories. The groupings are based on speed and time, he explained.
The championships are a peak event for the short course season. The short course season, held in 25-metre pools, ends in April. The long course, held in 50-metre pools, runs from May to July.
All four girls, Barnes, Graham, Cooper and Donaldson will also go to the provincial championships in Etobicoke, said Shivers.
The fifth annual MUSAC sprint meet is scheduled for Feb. 27-28 at Bracebridge Sportsplex, at the same time as the provincial championships, said Shivers.
“The meet up here is designed to bring athletes that aren’t quite qualified for provincials yet,” said Shivers. This will give swimmers a chance to achieve personal bests, he added.
He expects approximately 300 swimmers from across the province to attend.
Shivers is very happy with how 2010 is shaping up for the club.
“Our team is having a great year. We are off to a good start and we hope to finish off the short course season strong and looking good heading into the long course season,” he said.