Five SWA swimmers at Age Group Nationals
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Five swimmers from South Western Aquatics competed against some of Canada’s best at the Canadian Age Group Championships, July 29-August 2, in Laval, Quebec.
The meet brought together more than 800 12 to 17-year-old club swimmers from across Canada. Coached by Roman Ramirez, SWA finished 38th overall with a medal haul that included one gold, three silvers and a bronze.
Ramirez, excited to start another swim season Sept. 17th, said 2015 was their best year at nationals in the five years he's been at the club.
"Five swimmers, five medals, 10 races in the Top 10. It's amazing. I'm really proud of how the swimmers did. And it was the same this year with provincials, regionals – the whole team. I believe we are growing up in the level we have."
Tillsonburg's Amy Megharg, 12, earned two 12-and-under medals at her first age group nationals, a gold in 800m freestyle and silver in 1500m freestyle.
"I was hoping to take some time off my 800 and my 1500," said Meharg, ranked in the area of 5th going into the meet. "I took quite a bit of time off."
Winning medals was a surprise, she said.
With the 12 and 14-year-old swimming together, Meharg did not go head-to-head with the No. 1 seed in the 800m.
"She was in the head ahead of me, I was in a heat with all the other 12-year-olds. So I saw her time before – it was a really fast time."
Meharg led start to finish, swimming her own 800m race for gold.
Next year, Meharg will be swimming in the 14-and-under category, and her goal is to return to nationals.
"I think I have a few (qualifying times), I'm not sure though."
Woodstock's Ryan Jensen, also swimming at his first nationals, was 7th in his 400m Medley.
"I just wanted to see if I could make finals," said Jensen, "because I was seeded 10th going in. I was right on the edge and I just wanted to see if I could make finals and get more experience."
It was a nerve-racking experience, he admitted, and ripping his swim cap just before the race didn't help.
"I was putting on my swim cap and it ripped," he laughed. "Roman (Ramirez) had to come running down to the starting area to give me another one. It was intense.
"It was a good race – I kind of slowed down in my breaststroke, which is where I usually gain, so I just need to work a bit more on that. I was still happy with the time because it was still faster than the time I had going into the meet."
He set a personal best, however, in the preliminary 400m IM earlier in the day.
"Next season I want to try to get more Age Group Nationals (time)," said Jensen, who will be 16 in November, "and work my way toward Senior Nationals."
Tillsonburg's Hailey Granger, 14, medalled in her 200m butterfly. She added to the bronze with two other Top 10 finishes.
"I was really nervous between prelims and finals," said Granger, who at the beginning of the season made it her goal to medal at provincials and nationals. She had won a bronze at provincials, and she knew the 200m fly was her best chance in Laval.
"I really wanted to get a medal, but I wasn't sure. Fly is my best stroke, so I swim it a lot. Once it started, I just went with it."
Granger took almost six seconds off her 200m preliminary swim to finish third.
"It think it was pretty close (to silver)... and fourth was really close to me. The girl in first had a pretty big lead.
"I heard everybody yelling and that made me really happy. On the last turn I saw there weren't that many ahead of me, so I thought that maybe I would have a chance. Then I heard everybody yelling – and I just wanted to finish with a medal."
While the SWA swimmers were in Quebec, former SWA teammate Evan Van Moerkerke was swimming at the World Aquatic Championships in Russia, fresh off a Pan Am silver medal in men's 4x100m freestyle relay.
"It was pretty cool because he was on our team for a while," said Granger. "I remember being really little when he was here. And I remember I thought he was pretty cool... and pretty great."
While Pam Am goals are long ways away, Granger said she wants more Age Group National times next season.
"Hopefully I can get a medal again next year and take off time. Senior Nationals is probably a goal, too. I'm not sure what the Senior National time is, but I took off time (at Laval) so I'm closer now than I was."
Roxy Ramirez, 15, improved on last year's Age Group Nationals triple crown in bronze medals, this year bringing home a pair of silver medals in 800m freestyle and 1500m freestyle.
"In 400 I was so close," said Ramirez, who was fourth in the shorter timed event. "I hate when that happens – the girl beat me by just a little bit. It was really intense."
Ramirez, who already has two qualifying times for the Canadian Olympic Trials next spring, hopes to gain some extra experience in April.
"And three times for Senior Nationals," she noted. "I'm going to train for Seniors, see how good I can be."
If she can achieve that goal (Top 2), she will get a shot at international meets.
"I think that would be pretty cool."
Both the 800m and 1500m were personal bests, as well as the 200m, which she swam to prevent any 'off days' in Laval.
"We did the sprints so I wouldn't have a rest, so I was swimming every day. That's why we picked the 100m and 200m free. I didn't get last," she laughed. "I was proud of that. There were some really fast girls – you could tell who were sprinters and who were long distance. Even the girl who won the 1500m, 800m and 400m, she didn't win the 100m. She couldn't."
Ryan Jensen
100m Breaststroke: 34th 1:15.55
200m Breaststroke: 18th 2:36.64
200m Medley: 25th 2:22.66
400m Medley Final: 7th 4:51.37
400m Medley Prelim: 5th 4:50.98
Cassandra Dresscher
50m Freestyle: 45th 28.45
50m Breaststroke: 30th 35.43
100m Breaststroke: 19th 1:15.29
200m Breaststroke: 23rd 2:44.18
Hailey Granger
50m Freestyle: 39th 29.80
400m Freestyle: 4:49.31
800m Freestyle: 9:44.38
1500m Freestyle Final: 7th 18:23.60
50m Butterfly: 41st 31.20
100m Butterfly: 22nd 1:07.62
200m Butterfly Final: 3rd 2:23.88
200m Butterfly Prelim: 7th 2:29.30
200m Medley: 23rd 2:36.07
400m Medley Final: 6th 5:12.95
400m Medley Prelim: 9th 5:21.40
Amy Meharg
100m Freestyle: 16th 1:05.80
200m Freestyle Final: 7th 2:15.47
200m Freestyle Prelim: 6th 2:17.73
400m Freestyle Final: 4th 4:41.67
400m Freestyle Prelim: 4:46.29
800m Freestyle Final: 1st 9:39.17
1500m Freestyle Final: 2nd 18.33.10
Roxy Ramirez
100m Freestyle: 37th 1:02.31
200m Freestyle: 14th 2:10.55
400m Freestyle Final: 4th 4:28.01
400m Freestyle Prelim: 5th 4:31.51
800m Freestyle Final: 2nd 9:11.84
1500m Freestyle Final: 2nd 17:34.30