Staff Report
BRANT NEWS

Kaleigh Russell and Sebastian Paulins of the Brantford Aquatic Club swam to first place finishes at the Swim Ontario provincial championships, held in Nepean from June 28 to July 1.

The Brantford Aquatic Club took 10 swimmers to the meet and placed 25th out of 92 teams.

Russell won the 400 and 800-metre freestyle races, qualifying for the Canadian national age group championships, taking place in Calgary in late July. She also took silver in the 200-metre backstroke and placed in the top 10 in three other races.

Paulins won the 100 and 200-metre fly races at the short course championships in March and repeated the feat in Nepean. He added a fourth place in the 400-metre individual medley and three more top 10 finishes.

Brantford Aquatic Club swimmers Liam Gibson, Tanner Robinson, Andrew Vallee and Connor Gibson also finished in the top 10 in races at the meet, with Alex Paulins placing fourth in the 200, 400 and 800-metre freestyle events.

Participating in her first provincial championships, eight-year-old Brantford Aquatic Club swimmer Erin Gibson finished eighth in the 50-metre backstroke. Conner Durham and Siena Calarco also swam at the championships.