Dawn Smith/Rocky View Publishing

Nose Creek Swimmers (from back left to right) Marcus Van Grieken, Daniel Paquette, Zander Glatz, Jordyn Nixon, Ethan Smith, (front) Taylor Nixon, Zac McLeod, Reid Glatz, Melia St. Louis and Drew-Anne Bannan pose for a photo, Dec. 10, after attending two international meets in November. The swimmers took home a number of medals, top 10 finishes and best times.

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Local swimmers impress at international meets

Airdrie’s Nose Creek Swim Association’s (NCSA) top swimmers had a good showing at two international meets that took place in both Edmonton and Winnipeg, Nov. 29 to Dec. 2.

Airdrie’s Daniel Paquette, 14, earned a silver in the boy’s 13 to 14 200-metre butterfly and 400-metre freestyle events. The George McDougall High School student finished fourth in the 100-metre butterfly, fifth in the 200-metre freestyle and sixth in the 50-metre butterfly and 50-metre free.

Paquette, along with Calgary-based teammates Carson Trimble, 13, Aaron Ahl, 13, and Andrew Dungate, 12, finished fourth in the boys 200-metre freestyle relay and sixth in the 200-metre medley relay.

“It felt great,” said Paquette of his results. “(Coach Alexx Diep) said that this was probably one of my best meets.”

Ethan Smith, 11, earned a bronze in the boys 12 and under 200-metre backstroke event and fifth in the 50-metre back.

Along with teammates Andrew Dungate, 11, Marcus Van Grieken, 12, and Adam Fraser, 12, Smith finished second in both the boys 12 and under 200-metre freestyle and 200-metre medley relays.

Van Grieken earned fifth in the men’s 12 and under 200-metre IM. Irricana’s Taylor Nixon, 11, along with teammates Nicole Langlois, 12, Shaniah Hogman, 12, and Alexandra Sampson, 11, earned eighth in the girls 12 and under 200-metre medley relay.

Elaina Smith, 15, earned seventh in the women’s 15 and over 50-metre free and eighth in the 200-metre free consolation finals.

Meanwhile, the club’s Winnipeg team also had an impressive weekend.

Reid Glatz, 12, earned a bronze in both the 200-metre IM and backstroke, fourth in the 400-metre IM and 100-metre butterfly, fifth in the 50-metre breaststroke and 100-metre freestyle and sixth in the 50-metre butterfly.

Brother Zander Glatz, 14, earned a gold in the 100-metre butterfly event in a time of 1.03.02, silver in both the men’s 13 to 14 50-metre and 200-metre butterfly events, and fourth in both the 100 and 200-metre backstroke finals and the 100-metre IM.

Along with brother and teammates Zac McLeod, 11, and Josiah Eckstein, 14, Glatz earned a sixth in both the men’s 13 to 14 200-metre medley and freestyle relays.

McLeod earned a bronze in the 100-metre breaststroke in a time of 1:28.04. He placed fourth in the 100 and 200-metre backstroke and 200-metre breast, fifth in the 400-metre IM and 800-metre freestyle. McLeod finished sixth in the 50-metre breaststroke and 200-metre IM.

Airdrie’s Melia St. Louis, 12, earned a bronze in the 100-metre back, placed fourth in the 50-metre backstroke and fifth in both the 400-metre freestyle and 200-metre backstroke events.

Andrea Gibson, 15, placed sixth in the 100-metre IM and eighth in the 100-metre butterfly in the women’s 15 and over category.

Diep, NCSA’s assistant head coach, said he was pleased with the swimmers’ results at the meets.

“The swimmers did very well and I am very happy with how things went,” he said. “Their success is mainly due to their hard work and good network of support, including parents, teachers and coaches. Our swimmers are very goal oriented and it is impressive to see them remind themselves to push hard every day to attain their goals. The coaching staff is also a big part of the success… this is definitely a team effort.”

Diep said the club’s training staff will now take a step back to reassess the swimmers’ accomplishments and create a strategy to carry the team’s momentum to Provincials, NCSA’s next big tournament.

“It is also time to recuperate and take care of the little aches and pain in order to be stronger in the second part of the season,” he said.

Senior members of NCSA will be attending a training camp in California later this month.