LETHBRIDGE – The University of Lethbridge Pronghorns swim team posted a record-setting weekend in Quebec City, returning home with five medals and a pair of impressive records.
 
Overall, the U SPORTS Championships were a special one for the program. The team of seven athletes set a Canadian record, two provincial records, nine school records, earned four All-Canadian awards and earned five medals, securing the program's first national medals since 2005.
 
The five national medals are the most ever for the Pronghorns swim team at one national championship, with the previous high being four individual medals in 2000.
 
"We had so many special moments during the championship," said Pronghorns head coach Peter Schori. "All of our seven swimmers scored points in the finals and our relays were extraordinary!"
 
For the first time in the program's history, a Pronghorn relay team finished on the podium at the national championship and it happened twice.
 
On day one, the Pronghorns brought home a silver medal in the 4 x 100 freestyle relay and on the final day duplicated that medal in the 4 x 100 medley relay. Entering the final relay and event of the meet, the Pronghorns were seeded sixth but the team produced four outstanding swims to finish second in the country.
 
"Two silver medals for the men with our team of four guys up against the big schools with up to eighteen swimmers – true championship performances by all of them," said Schori of the performances of the men's relay teams.
 
Following an impressive debut earlier this year at the Canada West Championships, local product Apollo Hess continued to push the envelope in the breaststroke events, this time on the national stage. In his first event of the meet, Hess claimed the programs first medal since the 2004-05 season with a silver in the 100 metre breaststroke, but that was on a glimpse of what was to come. 
 
On day two, Hess stepped to the top of the U SPORTS podium, winning the 200 metre breaststroke but it was what he did on the final day that was truly impressive.
 
In the morning preliminaries of the 50 metre breaststroke, Hess qualified first for the finals, while breaking the U SPORTS record in the process. However, later that evening he would put forth an even more impressive performance in the finals. Winning his second gold medal of the meet, Hess broke the Canadian Senior record with a time of 26.65 seconds. The previous record was held by Paul Kornfeld, which was set in 2009.
 
"Apollo was awesome in the pool and with his words. He has earned all of the accolades but his respect for his competitors and desire to be great are what makes him an excellent role model," commented Schori on Hess' performance. "The Canadian record at the age of 19 is very exciting!"
 
For his performances over three days, Hess was named the U SPORTS Rookie of the Year and a First-Team All-Canadian.
 
Chris Alexander and Parker Brown also qualified for an 'A' final each with Alexander narrowly missing out on a sixth Pronghorn medal, finishing fourth in the 50 metre backstroke. He finished only four one-hundredths behind the bronze medal position.
 
Alexander also finished 9^th in the 100 metre backstroke and 17^th in the 50 metre free style.
 
Brown, who is in his first year of eligibility, placed sixth in the 100 metre freestyle and 15^th in the 50 metre freestyle.
 
Raine Arden rounded out the Pronghorn men's results, finishing 15^th in the 200 metre and 20^th in the 50 metre freestyle.
 
"I am really proud of our LASC (Lethbridge Amateur Swim Club) swimmers that have become the heart of the Pronghorns. Apollo, Chris and Raine have grown up at the Max Bell and are combining to lead us to new levels – it is pretty cool, their silver in the medley relay is a provincial record and third best ever in Canada," commented Schori
 
With the silver medals in the relay events, Chris Alexander, Parker Brown and Raine Arden were named Second Team All-Canadians.   
 
On the women's side, first-year Pronghorn Hunter Stewardson had the top finishes among Pronghorn women, narrowly missing two 'A' finals. Stewardson finished 10^th in the 50 metre breaststroke and 11^th in the 100 metre breaststroke. She was also 21^st in the 200 metre breaststroke.
 
Libby Fox placed 22^nd in the 50 metre butterfly and Emilia Hesterman was 23^rd in the breaststroke.
 
Speaking of the Libby Fox and Emilia Hesterman, who will graduate from the program, Schori said - "Emilia and Libby made their last U SPORTS memorable. I think it has been toughest for the older athletes during the past couple years. They both took a more challenging path to walk out as graduates on Saturday than those before them."
 
Apollo Hess, Raine Arden, Chris Alexander, Parker Brown, Eric Louie, Hunter Stewardson and Emilia Hesterman will all compete at the 2022 Bell Canadian Swimming Trails hosted in Victoria, April 5^th to 10^th.