From the top of the province to a shot at the worlds.
Foothills Stingray Finlay Knox parlayed a three-medal performance at the Spring Championships in Edmonton to a berth in the World Championship Trials, held April 6-9 in Victoria, B.C.
“It will be the biggest meet I’ve gone to,” said Knox. “I’m looking forward to going there and being around faster people, possibly Olympians will be there, and people I wouldn’t normally race.”
Knox – whose proven to be adept in the individual medley over the years – took top spot in the 400m individual medley in a time of 4:38.42. He was second in the 200m IM and 200m breaststroke.
All three of those swims met the world championship trials time standard.
Knox’s performance in the 200m IM placed him in the top-10 in the country, irrespective of age.
“That puts him on a on-track two time,” said Stingrays head coach Todd Melton. “Swimming Canada tries to track kids they think will medal at the Olympics or final or qualify.
“On-track three time is they think you will qualify for the Olympics, on-track two I believe is you will have a semifinal or final at the Olympics and on-track one time would be medalling.”
Justin Lisoway was second in the 100m breaststroke and added bronze medals in the 200m individual medley and 50m backstroke. He earned his world championship time in 50m and 100m backstroke.
Kennedy Loewen and Megan Deering are also headed to B.C.’s capital after previously qualifying.
“Since it’s our first really big meet it’s more just seeing what it’s like being there,” said Knox, a Grade 10 student at Foothills Composite. “We’re going for experience and to try not to freak out too much and have fun and swim fast.”
At the Spring Championships, Loewen was a double medallist.
The 16-year-old touched the wall first in the 100m backstroke in a time 1:06.13.
She added a bronze in the 50m backstroke – traditionally the best event for the swimmer with national silver and bronze medals to show for it.
Foothills finished with two of the three podium positions in the 50m sprint.
Layne Guidinger, 17, took home the gold medal in the 15-and-over 50m backstroke – the same event she earned the national gold back in the summer of 2014.
Prolific 10-year-old Summer Fedor finished just off the podium with a fourth place result in the 50m butterfly while Alycia Weber, 15, was fifth in the 50m backstroke in the 15 and over category.
Elsewhere, 18-year-old Emilia Hesterman earned three top-eight finishes as the championships highlighted by a sixth place showing in the 100m breaststroke.
She earned Western National qualifying times in the 50 and 100m breastroke.
Hesterman has struggled with low iron for four years and worked tirelessly this season, Melton said.
Five Stingrays earned national acclaim for their efforts in Edmonton.
Knox earned top-one status in the Youth Recognition awards, indicating how fast a swimmer is compared to times earned times across the country in the same age group, Fedor was top-five while Lisoway, Loewen and Deering were top-10.
For more information go to foothillsstingrays.com
