Knights swimmer is a golden girl

By Kelly Young 

Sports

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KDSS Aquatic Knights junior Para swimmer Ashlee Banyard came home from the OFSAA championships with a gold medal around her neck after racing to first place in the 50m backstroke on Wednesday (March 3) in Etobicoke.

Banyard’s time in the backstroke event was a personal best of 48.13, enough to place her at the top of the podium. She also placed fourth in the 50m freestyle on Tuesday (March 2) with another personal best time of 43.82.

Senior swimmer Steve Young was unable to repeat his golden performance of last year, racing to a sixth-place finish in both the 100 Individual Medley, with a time of 1:07.29, and the 100m backstroke, with a time of 1:07.27. Unfortunately he did not approach his personal best times in his final year of competition.

Senior swimmer Carly Schmidt, in her first year competing in the senior age group, placed 18th in the 50m freestyle with a time of 30.93 and 12th in the 100m backstroke with a personal best time of 1:18.74.

The senior boys 200m freestyle relay team of John McCool, Alex Morariu, Caden Allingham and Young placed 23rd with a time of 1:54.74.

The boys team placed 42nd of 139 teams with a total of 80 points. The girls team, consisting of Schmidt, placed 89th out of 152 teams with 37 points, while the Open/Para team, consisting of Banyard, placed 67th of 166 teams with 72 points.

The combined team score of 189 points placed the Knights in 63rd overall out of 270 teams.
The Knights were coached this year by Lee-Anne Edmunds, Sandie Banyard and Kelly Young with the support of teacher advisor Carrie Houghton.

Ashlee Banyard holds up her gold medal from the OFSAA Para 50m backstroke race Photos by Kelly Young

Senior boys Alex Morariu (L), Caden Allingham, Steve Young and John McCool pose for a photo after warm-ups for their 200m freestyle race at OFSAA

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Thursday, March 04, 2010