CGCSA Summer of Excellence
Another record-setting season!
September 29, 2023
2023 CGC Swim Academy Summer Swim Season
The CGC Swim Academy’s Summer Swim Team had a fantastic competition season! After beginning the team’s 5-times a week training schedule in July, coaches quickly saw skill and time improvements among the swimmers. This trend continued throughout the summer, and 15 new swimmers graduated from participation into age group level by meeting qualifying times with proper technique. The CGCSA also hosted a summer swim meet for the first time, with rave reviews about the meet from the other teams and families. After such a successful summer of competition, the CGCSA is excited to host the 2024 Summer Provincial Championships next August! Until then, here’s this year’s summer recap:
Summer Provincial Championships
The 2023 Summer Provincial Championships, hosted by the Waeg Waves, took place from August 18th to 20th. The CGCSA Summer Swim Team competed in the large team category with 52 swimmers racing over the 3-day event. The team amassed 80 provincial ribbons (places 4th to 10th), 41 individual medals, and 5 relay medals. The team also accumulated 2,471 points, placing 3rd overall and winning the 13-14 age category. By the end of the Championships, the CGCSA accounted for more than a quarter of provincial records set over the weekend (5 in total). Way to go CGCSA swimmers!
Provincial Records:
- Alfred Lai broke a Provincial Record in the Boys 13-14 100 Freestyle with a time of 1:00.73 (a record that had been standing for 15 years)! He also broke a Provincial Record set in 2015 in the Boys 13-14 50 Freestyle, coming in at 27.18, and his own previous Provincial Records in the 50 Butterfly and 100 Butterfly with times of 29.21, and 1:05.71, respectively
- Jack Quinton set a Provincial Record in the Boys 13-14 100 Backstroke with a time of 1:11.03
New Club Records:
- Boys 13-14 50 Freestyle – Alfred Lai (27.18)
- Boys 13-14 100 Freestyle – Alfred Lai (1:00.73)
- Boys 13-14 200 Freestyle – Alfred Lai (2:18.55)
- Boys 13-14 50 Backstroke – Jack Quinton (32.83)
- Boys 13-14 100 Backstroke – Jack Quinton (1:11.03)
- Boys 13-14 50 Butterfly – Alfred Lai (28.96)
- Boys 13-14 100 Butterfly – Alfred Lai (1:05.43)
- Boys 15-16 100 Butterfly – Michael Kovalyov (1:14.59)
- Boys 17-18 50 Breaststroke – Tigran Mkrtchyan (38.78)
- Boys 17-18 100 Breaststroke – Tigran Mkrtchyan (1:29.55)
- Girls 10&U 25 Breaststroke – Mary Wang (22.96)
- Girls 11-12 400 Freestyle – Emma Quinton (6:12.95)
- Girls 13-14 50 Breaststroke – Anne Wang (43.25)
- Girls 13-14 100 Breaststroke – Anne Wang (1:34.64)
- Girls 15-16 50 Freestyle – Senali Jayawarna (31.16)
- Girls 15-16 100 Freestyle – Senali Jayawarna (1:08.07)
- Girls 15-16 200 Freestyle – Senali Jayawarna (2:35.12)
- Girls 15-16 400 Freestyle – Senali Jayawarna (5:33.31)
- Girls 15-16 100 Backstroke – Senali Jayawarna (1:22.33)
- Girls 15-16 50 Breaststroke – Emily Park (42.56)
- Girls 15-16 100 Breaststroke – Senali Jayawarna (1:34.43)
- Girls 15-16 50 Butterfly – Kendra McMahon (34.84)
- Girls 15-16 100 Butterfly – Kendra McMahon (1:23.21)
- Girls 15-16 200 IM (Individual Medley) – Senali Jayawarna (2:57.21)
- Girls 15-16 4×50 Medley Relay – Senali Jayawarna, Kendra McMahon, Emily Park, Faith Yao (2:31.08)
Summer Swimming All Star Team:
Congratulations to CGCSA swimmers named to the Summer Swimming All Star Team: Evan Yang, Alex Wang, Jack Quinton, Alfred Lai, and Senali Jayawarna. This Provincial initiative allows top summer swimmers the opportunity to represent Nova Scotia at a Provincial outdoor competition. Swimmers are selected at the completion of Provincials based on the top aggregate scores in each age group.
Thank you!
The end of this amazing season was marked by a banquet, where the swimmers were recognized for their individual contribution to the team in performances, positive attitude and hard work.
Over the many summer competition opportunities, 31 CGCSA officials volunteered their time. The Swim Team hosted many social events, including a kick-off barbeque, tie dye night, psyche night, and the banquet – all led by a committee of CGC families. Special thanks go to Bette El-Hawary, Lilani Kumaranayake, Michael Song, Neil Wang, Ramie Wang, David Lai, Thomas Yang, Jillian Claxton, Janet Parry-Campbell, Clara Durling, Olivier Blais, Hilya Arthur and Airy Zhang. A final big THANK YOU to the families of our swimmers who supported the team and helped create a fun and exciting summer!
For full Provincial Championship results, visit Swim Nova Scotia’s website.
2023 Canadian Surf Lifesaving Championships
CGCSA athletes showed off their lifesaving sport skills at Martinique Beach on August 25th-27th during the 2023 Canadian Surf Lifesaving Championships. CGC staff member Francois Blais won the beach flags event, and CGC Swim Academy swimmer and CGC staff member Neil Wang, along with 3 other NSLS participants, won the 4x90m relay.
Congratulations to all the CGC Swim Academy athletes on incredible summer results!