If success is measured in fun and camaraderie, Oak Bay High scored high in the recent provincial swimming competition.
The team competed in several relay races at the final meet of the year for school swimmers: the 200-metre medley, mixed 200-metre medley, girls’ 200m freestyle, and the boys’ 200m freestyle. A medley consists of four swimmers doing 50 metres each with each swimmer doing a different stroke – backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle and butterfly.
All four foursomes raced on the Friday, with the boys’ freestyle relay finishing 17th. The top 16 returned to compete the next day, and when one team dropped out, Oak Bay made the cut but didn’t finish on the podium.
They’re happy with the finish, said coach and teacher sponsor Allison Seidel who coaches alongside Meaghan Holahan. Because of an A-level swimmer on the relay during earlier competition, the relay challenged other A-level relays. That top-tier swimmer wasn’t available for provincials, so a full B squad hit the water.
“Everyone was there to cheer them on, it was great,” Seidel said.
The kids became good friends and gelled as a team and bonded over a games night and team dinner,” she said.
“We all had a fabulous time so that was a win.”
RELATED: Oak Bay swim team sends relays to provincial competition
christine.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca
