Whitehorse Daily Star

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CLUB SUCCESS – Members of the Yukon Grayling masters swim club returned last week from the B.C. provincial championships with 17 medals. Left to right are Charles Turanich- Noyen, Victoria Ryan, Therese Lindsay, Angela MacNeil, Maryanne Myers, Jenni Beauregard and Jenny Bonny.

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ON THE FLY – Whitehorse Grayling Jenny Bonnie brought home gold last week from the B.C. provincial championships. Photo by JENNI BEAUREGARD

Local swimmers earn plenty of hardware at masters championships

Whitehorse swimmers returned last week with several medals from B.C. Masters Provincial Swimming Championships in Richmond, B.C.

By Whitehorse Star on May 8, 2018

Whitehorse swimmers returned last week with several medals from B.C. Masters Provincial Swimming Championships in Richmond, B.C.

Swimmer Victoria Ryan of the Yukon Graylings masters swim club explained upon their return that a record seven Graylings attended the meet, bringing home six gold medals, six silver and five bronze.

The Richmond meet saw swimmers of all ages competing, from 18 years of age to 94, she said.

The seven Whitehorse swimmers – there were two at the championships last year – ranged in age from 35 to 62.

Ryan was among the four women who formed the Graylings and sat on the club’s first board of directors about five years ago.

Currently, she said, there are more than 30 active members who take advantage of the Graylings three pool times per week.

“At provincials there was a 94- year-old lady swimming and she got standing ovations every time she came in for the finish,” Ryan recalled. “It was very inspiring and motivational.”

She said as an affiliate of Masters Swimming of B.C., the Graylings share the B.C. motto: “Fun, Friendship & Fitness for Life.”

While promoting participation is key to the Graylings club, there are swimmers who still want to continue competing to the best of their ability and that’s OK too, Ryan pointed.

Ryan herself was a competitive swimmer who was on her university swim team, and she still enjoys the competition.

She said the Grayling swimmers usually attend one or two meets a year.

“Obviously the provincials are a big thing every April and some people go to the nationals on the May long weekend, but this year it does not look like we will have anybody going,” Ryan said.

She said the bronze medal for the women’s 4 X 50-metre medley relay was the first relay medal for the Graylings.

The following is a breakdown of the medals won by Graylings in Richmond:

Gold:

• Jenny Bonny :400 IM (age group 40-44);

• Victoria Ryan: 50 freestyle, 100 free, 200 free, 50 backstroke, 100 IM (age group 40-44).

Silver:

• Angela MacNeil: 200 freestyle (50-54);

• Therese Lindsay: 50 backstroke (55-59);

• Charles Turanich-Noyen: 100 fly, 100 free, 50 fly. 100 IM (35-39).

Bronze:

• Female relay 4 x 50 medley (MaryAnne Myers, Angela MacNeil, Jenny Bonny, Jenni Beauregard);

• Victoria Ryan: 50 breaststroke (40-44);

• Angela MacNeil: 50 breaststroke, 100 breaststroke (50-54);

• Jenni Beauregard: 200 free (40-44).

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