Bakken and Dixon Break Records at Western Canadian Short Course Championships

UVPCS swimmer Alyssa Bakken broke her first Provincial Record last weekend in Vancouver at the Western Canadian Championships. The 11 year old, who qualified to attend Westerns during January’s Vancouver Island Regional Championships, and was the youngest swimmer at the meet, broke the 11-12 Girls’ Provincial short-course Backstroke record with a time of 2:25.66. Somehow, we don’t think it will be her last. Alyssa just turned 11 in November and has almost two more years in the 11-12 age group to see what she can do! Congratulations, Alyssa!!

Stephanie Dixon from the University of Victoria also continued her record-breaking season, with two more assaults on the World Short Course Records for Swimmers with a Disability. She broke the 400 Freestyle record with a time of 4:47.28 and her own 200IM record (just set in January, 2004), with a time of 2:38.17. Unfortunately, Stephanie was sidelined for two days at the meet due to illness, or we suspect more records would have been demolished. Stephanie now holds 8 World Short Course records in addition to 4 World Long Course records.

Other UVPCS swimmers also put in fine performances. Hollis Roth, age 15, ended the meet with four medals, including silver in both the 200 Butterfly and 1500 Freestyle and bronze in the 400 and 800 Freestyle. She also finished in the top eight for 100 Butterfly (4th), 50 Butterfly (5th), and 200IM (6th). UVic swimmer David Creel came home with three bronze medals in the 400IM, 800 Freestyle, and 1500 Freestyle events, a 5th place showing in the 400 Freestyle and 7th place result in the 200 Butterfly. Additional swimmers who made finals were Jennifer Lock who finished 5th in the 50 Freestyle, Ryan Clouston who was 5th in the 400IM, Erich Schmitt who came in 6th in the 200 Backstroke, and Greer Jacks who finished 7th in the 100 Freestyle.