EDMONTON – Closing out the Canada West swimming Championships in Edmonton, the Pronghorn swim team added two more medals to the count and returns home with six total medals after a successful weekend in the pool.
First-year Pronghorn Apollo Hess continued to put on an impressive display at the championship meet, picking up his second gold medal and Canada West record of the weekend, winning the 200 metre breaststroke by nearly three seconds. He broke the previous record, that was set in 2016, by more that a second.
His performance in his first conference meet earned Hess both the male Swimmer of the Meet, and the Rookie of the Year awards. The breaststroke specialist earned five total medals, setting new Canada West records in the 50m and 200m breaststroke.
"I surprised myself a bit in the 50 breast, getting sub-27 was pretty special. It's a milestone for me, getting below 27 in that event. Justice [Migneault] gave me a great race in the 100m on Saturday, but I knew I had another gear in me," said Hess. "Getting a couple records was a great feeling, but I'm not stopping here. I know I have more in me."
Hess's fifth medal and second off the day for the Pronghorns came in the 4 X 100 medley relay. The team of Chris Alexander, Hess, Parker Brown and Raine Arden finished in the bronze medal position with a time of 3:41.41.
Brown and Alexander both swam in 'A' finals again on Sunday with Brown finishing fifth in the 100 metre freestyle and Alexander placed sixth in the 100 metre backstroke.
Casara Holm had the best finish on Sunday for the Pronghorn women with a 12
th place finish in the 100 metre freestyle. In the women's 4 X 100 medley relay the Pronghorns finished fifth.
In the team standings, the Pronghorn men placed fifth with 292.5 points, while the women's side finished sixth with 196.5 points.
The qualified swimmers will now set their sights on the 2022 U SPORTS Championship, hosted by the Laval Rouge et Or, Febriary 25-27 in Quebec City.
SWIMMERS OF THE MEET
Men:
Apollo Hess, Lethbridge Pronghorns
- Gold - 50m Breaststroke *, 200m Breaststroke *,
- Silver - 100m Breaststroke, 4x100m Freestyle Relay,
- Bronze - 4x100m Medley
Women: Rebecca Smith, Calgary Dinos
- Gold - 50m Butterfly *, 100m Butterfly *, 200m Freestyle *, 4x100m Freestyle Relay, 100m Freestyle *, 4x100m Medley
* - Canada West Record
ROOKIES OF THE MEET
Men:
Apollo Hess, Lethbridge Pronghorns
- Gold - 50m Breaststroke *, 200m Breaststroke *,
- Silver - 100m Breaststroke, 4x100m Freestyle Relay,
- Bronze - 4x100m Medley
Women: Emma O'Croinen, UBC Thunderbirds
- Gold - 800m Freestyle, 4x200m Freestyle Relay, 400m Freestyle
- Silver - 200m Freestyle, 4x100m Freestyle Relay, 100m Freestyle, 4x100m Medley
* - Canada West Record
STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS
Men: Kier Przyswitt, Alberta Golden Bears
- Silver - 200m Freestyle
- Bronze - 100m Freestyle
- Provides weekly support to local children with autism, while also volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Edmonton Food Bank, Youth Juvenile Detention Centre
- Coach with Strathcona High School swim team
Women: Olivia Roschat, Victoria Vikes
- Academic All-Canadian
- Volunteers with juSTEMagine, a STEM-education organization.
- President of the Delta Chapter and board member of chapter mentors
- Coordinates STEM workshops for students and community groups, including working with Prairie STEM, Girl Powered UNO, Girl Guides Canada, and Vex Robotics.
COACHES OF THE YEAR
Men's Team: Derrick Schoof, UBC Thunderbirds
Women's Team: Mike Blondal, Calgary Dinos
| Men's Team Standings |
| 1 |
UBC |
947 |
| 2 |
Calgary |
772 |
| 3 |
Victoria |
386.5 |
| 4 |
Alberta |
302 |
| 5 |
Lethbridge |
292.5 |
| 6 |
Regina |
223 |
| 7 |
Manitoba |
115 |
| 8 |
Thompson Rivers |
33 |
| Women's Team Standings |
| 1 |
Calgary |
823 |
| 2 |
UBC |
740 |
| 3 |
Victoria |
464.5 |
| 4 |
Manitoba |
460 |
| 5 |
Alberta |
259 |
| 6 |
Lethbridge |
196.5 |
| 7 |
Regina |
57 |
| 8 |
Thompson Rivers |
8 |
