submitted photo

Twenty-nine Rapids I swimmers from the Sarnia Y Rapids swim team participated in a SEAL (St. Clair Erie Aquatic League) swim meet in Windsor at the end of January, with five individual swimmers and the 7-and-under 100M freestyle relay team earning first place ribbons. Seven-year-old McKenna Brown took 1^st place in the 25M butterfly, and was joined by teammates Taylor Marut, 7, and Allie Rawson and Simone Roland, both 6, in the relay. McKenna also earned 5^th-place finishes in the 25M backstroke and 25M freestyle, while Taylor came 3^rd in the 25M backstroke and 4^th in the 25M butterfly and 25M freestyle. Allie finished 6^th in the 25M butterfly and 25M freestyle.

Among 8-year-olds, Hayden Scott placed 1^st in the 25M butterfly and 25M breaststroke, and 2^nd in the 100M IM. Ayrianna Batson, also 8, finished 5^th in the 25M breaststroke and 6^th in the 25M butterfly. Eight-year-old twins Fiona and Hannah Elliott had a successful meet, with Fiona coming 4^th in the 25M butterfly and 6^th in the 100M Individual Medley (IM) and 25M backstroke, and Hannah placing 5^th in the 25M butterfly.

Nine-year-old Kaiden Rawson earned 1^st place in the 25M breaststroke, and 2^nd in the 200M freestyle relay with teammates Jack Biggar, Ciara Brown, and Erin Lacey, all 9. Kaiden also came 2^nd in the 200M IM and 4^th in the 25M backstroke. Jack placed 2^nd in the 100M IM, and 50M freestyle, 3^rd in the 25M breaststroke, and 5^th in the 25M backstroke. Ciara finished 2^nd in the 100M IM and 25M backstroke, and 3^rd in the 25M breaststroke, while Erin came 6^th in the 50M freestyle. Mckenna Jackson, also 9, placed 3^rd in the 25M butterfly, 5^th in the 100M IM and 6^th in the 25M backstroke.

Nadine Osmon, 10, earned 1^st place in the 50M backstroke and 100M freestyle, 3^rd in the 50M butterfly, and 200M freestyle relay (with Abby Allardyce and Samantha Bedard, also 10, and Hannah Lacey, 11) and 5^th in the 50M breaststroke. Abby added a 2^nd place in the 50M breaststroke, 5^th in the 100M IM, and 6^th in the 100M freestyle. Samantha came 2^nd in the 100M freestyle and 6^th in the 50M butterfly, and Hannah placed 4^th in the 50M butterfly and 200M freestyle, and 5^th in the 100M IM and 50M breaststroke.  

Fellow 10-year-old Ally Core earned a 4^th place finish in the 50M breaststroke, while Nes Tulang, also 10, came 2^nd in the 200M IM and 5^th in the 50M butterfly. Nes also finished 3^rd in the 200M freestyle relay with her teammates Luke Young, 12, and Magaidh Crossland and Madison McKinlay, both 13. Luke had 1^st place finishes in the 100M IM, 100M backstroke, and 100M breaststroke and 3^rd in the 200M freestyle. Magaidh added 3^rd place in the 100M IM and 50M butterfly, 5^th in the 100M breaststroke and 6^th in the 200M freestyle. Madison earned an additional 3^rd place in the 100M breaststroke, 4^th in the 100M freestyle and 5^th in the 100M backstroke.

Trista Walsh and Myléna Vallée, both 11, finished 5^th and 6^th respectively, in the 50M butterfly, while fellow 11-year-old Rachel Dalton improved her best time in the 100M IM.

Twelve-year-olds Meghan Jackson placed 4^th in the 100M backstroke and 6^th in the 100M IM, Samantha Lefebvre came 4^th in the 100M freestyle and Zoe Little finished 5^th in the 100M IM and 100M breaststroke, and 6^th in the 100M freestyle.  Connor Phipps, also 12, came 3^rd in each of his individual events: 100 IM, 100M backstroke, 100M breaststroke and 100M freestyle.