News

  • TRIPPLE C STRIKES GOLD AT NORTH AMERICAN INDIGENOUS GAMES

    Brock Niagara Aquatics Swimmer Camren Courchene Carter on podium with other medal winners

    Congratulations to 16-year-old Brock Niagara Aquatics Swimmer Camren Courchene Carter who claimed 8 medals at the 2023 North American Indigenous Games in Halifax (July 19-20).

    Tripple C scored 7 gold medals and 1 Silver representing Team Ontario. Gold medal performances came in teh 50m Breaststroke, 100m Breaststroke, 200m Breaststroke, 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle and Relays while the silver medal came from 200m Individual Medley.

     

     

     

  • Peyton Leigh Wins Provincial High Point Title

    Peyton Leigh’s tremendous season continued with her accomplishments in summer Ontario Swimming Championship! Peyton leigh won the events below to become the highest point scorer in summer Ontario swimming championships. We are looking forward to seeing the future success of Peyton.

    200M Freestyle (2:05.93) (Gold)

    400m Freestyle (4:26.85) (Gold)

    800m Freestyle (9:08.38) (Gold)

    200m Butterfly (2:19.68) (Gold)

    100m Backstroke (1:05.95) (Silver)

    200 Medley (2:25.76) (Bronze)

     

     

  • Provincial Record From Madison Kryger

     

    At 2023 Summer Ontario Swimming championships Madison Kryger captured her second provincial Backstroke record!

    14-year-old Madison Kryger swam 1:02.21 in the 100 backstroke and broke the old Provincial Record that was co-owned by Olympians Kayla Sanchez and Sinead Russell.

    We congratulate Madison, and her coaches Dave ling, Don Burton on her new record, and looking forward to seeing what’s next for her!

    Please see the original swim swam article in the link below:

    Etobicoke Breaks a National Record and Big Breakthroughs at Ontario Provincials

  • National and Provincial Records From Madison Kryger and Emma Grace Van Dyk

     

    The weekend of December 11th was a record breaking weekends for Brock Niagara Aquatics!

    Emma Grace Van Dyk who represented our club in Ken Demchuk International swim meet has broken Angela Marina’s S14 100-meter Backstroke record with a time of 1:12.12, (old record 1:13.26) and won the Gold Medal.

    In her interview with swimming Canada Emma Grace said: “I did more underwater work than I usually do,” said Van Dyk, who has an intellectual impairment. “I just tried to keep my strategy the best I could. It turns out I had a great race.”

    Please see the original article from swimming Canada: https://www.swimming.ca/en/news/2022/12/17/three-record-breaking-swims-for-jacob-brayshaw-on-opening-night-of-ken-demchuk-international-invitational/

    At the end of the weekend Madison Kryger who represented our club in Ontario Junior International broke Regan Rathwell’s the 14-year Olds Provincial record with a time of 2:10.06, (old record, 2:10.16) and won the silver medal in the event!

    Congratulations to both of our swimmers!

  • Elizabeth Walker to receive honorary degree during Brock’s Fall Convocation

    We are pleased to announce Brock University’s Elisabeth walker will be receiving an Honorary degree in Brock’s 112th convocation! Please see the press release below for more information.

    Brock University is where Elisabeth Walker-Young (BPhEd ’02) began to come into her own.

    Although she had already toured the world as a member of the Canadian Paralympic swim team, it was her time on campus — and at Brock’s Eleanor Misener Aquatic Centre — that would help shape the person she would become.

    “I found my identity at Brock,” says the four-time Paralympian, who would go on to be nationally recognized not only for her athletic ability, but also for her advocacy work.

    Walker-Young will return to her alma mater Friday, Oct. 14 to receive an honorary degree during the 10 a.m. ceremony of Brock’s 112th Convocation.

    Traditionally a one-day celebration, this year’s Fall Convocation has been expanded to include two additional days of ceremonies to welcome back the Classes of 2020 and 2021, who did not have the chance to cross the stage due to public health restrictions in place at the time of their graduation.

    The legacy Convocation ceremonies will take place Wednesday, Oct. 12 and Thursday, Oct. 13, with more than 1,600 returning grads set to mark the occasion. More than 1,000 new graduates will receive their degrees on Friday, Oct. 14.

    Walker-Young will deliver the Convocation address Friday morning.

    Her planned return to campus has left her thinking about all that she has accomplished since her own graduation in 2002, and how much she still hopes to achieve.

    An inspiration to athletes across the country and beyond, Walker-Young won six medals (three gold, one silver and two bronze) at four Paralympic Games, breaking several Canadian and world records throughout her swimming career.

    When she retired in 2005 after 13 years with Canada’s Paralympic swim team, she moved into a series of leadership roles and remained actively engaged in the Paralympic movement.

    She was Team Canada’s Chef de Mission (official leader and spokesperson) for the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games, following her time as Assistant Chef de Mission for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

    Her efforts as a champion for inclusion and accessibility in sport, both as an athlete and an advocate, saw Walker-Young named to the Order of Canada — one of the country’s highest honours — in 2018.

    “I feel like now, even more than four years ago, I’ve found more of my voice; I know more of the direction I’m going to go in,” she says. “I’m more confident in understanding the changes I’d like to affect in society and within sport in Canada.”

    With that notion in mind, she plans to use her Convocation address to help inspire action in the next generation of Brock graduates as they head out into the world.

    “As someone who was once in their shoes, I hope they find my words meaningful,” she says. “They’ve each followed unique paths to reach the finish line, and in the midst of a pandemic on top of that. That deserves to be celebrated.”

    Walker-Young says she’s honoured to be recognized by the University that had such an impact on her life. But, she adds, her work is not finished yet.

    “In 20 years from now, I hope to have done so much more to help people who are under-represented, equity seeking and marginalized,” says the 45-year-old, who now lives in Vancouver with her husband and former Badgers teammate Ian and their eight-year-old daughter. “I’d love to impact change in society locally, nationally and globally, both in sport and beyond sport. There’s so much more I have to give.”

    Walker-Young recently took her passion for inclusion, diversity, equity, justice and accessibility advocacy to the next level, launching a consultancy, workshop and training company aimed at amplifying the voices of under-represented and equity-seeking peoples.

    Brock’s Convocation ceremonies will be held inside Ian Beddis Gymnasium in the Walker Sports Complex. Tickets are required for Friday’s ceremonies. For those unable to attend, all Convocation ceremonies will be livestreamed online at brocku.ca/livestream

    For more information, visit brocku.ca/convocation

  • Club Record Update 2021-22

    Congratulations to Madison Kryger on her new team records in the Summer of 2022:

    • 13/14 Girls 200 IM LCM 2:27.48 (July). Breaks previous mark of Dena Durand 2:29.18 from 1995.
    • 13/14 GIRLS 100 Back LCM 1:05.48 (August). Breaks her previous mark of 1:05.89 from July 2022.
    • 13/14 Girls 200 Back LCM 2:19.32 (August). Breaks her previous mark of 2:23.56 from July 2022.
    • Open Women 100 Back LCM LCM 1:05.48 (August). Breaks her previous mark of 1:05.89 from July 2022.
    • Open Women 200 Back LCM 2:19.32 (August). Breaks her previous mark of 2:23.56 from July 2022.
    • 13/14 Girls 50 Free LCM 27.95 (July). Breaks her previous mark of 28.10 from June 2022.
    • 13/14 Girls 100 Free LCM 1:00.53 (July). Breaks her previous mark of 1:01.25 from June 2022.
    • 13/14 Girls 200 Free LCM 2:10.53 (July). Breaks previous mark of Jennifer Johnston 2:11.28 from 1997.
    • 13/14 Girls 100 Butterfly LCM 1:06.12 (July). Breaks previous mark of Syrah Mills 1:06.53 from June 2020.
  • Alumni Update: Summer 2020

    Congratulations to our high school graduating class of 2020!

    Paje Brennan enters into Concurrent Education at Brock University, following in her mother’s footsteps as a future primary teacher, while competing for the Badgers varsity team.

    Alyssa Montgomery is entering the Kinesiology program at the University of Ottawa in September. Although sidelined from competition with injury this past season, Alyssa has continued in the program with some coaching and hopes to stay involved with the UOttawa GeeGees.

    Aidan Iapicco will become a valued member of the Waterloo Warriors as of this fall as he commences a degree in Environmental Resources and Sustainability. Aidan is one of Brock Niagara’s 2020 (now 2021) Olympic Trials qualifiers.

    Jeremy Tang will be entering into the Medical Science program at Western University in London, wearing the Mustang purple.

    Categories: Alumni

  • Western Region Championships

    Thirty-four young competitive swimmers from Brock Niagara Aquatics competed at the Western Ontario Regional Short Course Swimming Championships in Brantford this past weekend. Over 900 athletes from 27 swim clubs across south-western Ontario (from Burlington to Windsor) took part in the four-day event held at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Complex.

    Among the top-scoring athletes from Brock Niagara were siblings Madison and Matthew Kryger of Niagara Falls who each captured four medals each. Eleven-year-old Madison scored 36 points and won gold in the girls 50 metre backstroke and 200 metre butterfly events, silver in the 100 breaststroke, and bronze in the 200 breaststroke; 15-year-old Matthew scored 30 points and won gold in the 800 freestyle and 200 freestyle along with silver in the 400 individual medley.

    Olivia Sheldon, age 11 of Vineland, scored 32 points and picked up a silver medal in the 50 freestyle and a bronze medal in the 100 butterfly, along with top-8 placings in every other event she competed in. Other swimmers grabbing medals included Daniel Cui, McKenna Clark, Nicholas Woodruff, Torrin Stefels, Blake Bishop, Micah Verrier, Peyton Leigh, Camren Courchene-Carter, Sydney Alexander, Paje Brennan, Isra Alsahli, and Thomas Iapicco.

    Sights set on Provincials

    The swimmers who took part in the Regional Championships were those just below competing at the provincial level; many were vying to achieve a qualifying time standard in order to race at one of the three upcoming Swim Ontario Championships to be held next month.

    The upcoming Ontario Festival Championships will be held in Windsor, February 22–23, and is for young swimmers ages 13/under from across Ontario. Seven Brock Niagara athletes have qualified to attend this competition with several of them picking up qualifications this past weekend: Camren Courchene-Carter, Daniel Cui, Syrah Mills, and Torrin Stefels of St. Catharines; Madison Kryger, and Sophia St-Pierre of Niagara Falls; and Olivia Sheldon of Vineland.

    Courchene-Carter (100 & 200 Breast) and Sheldon (50 Free) were first-time Festival Championship qualifiers this past weekend; while Cui, Madison Kryger, S Mills, and Stefels added additional Festival times to their existing repertoire.

    First-time qualifier to the Ontario Youth-Junior Championships was Blake Bishop who won gold in the men’s 17/over 200 Back; and Paje Brennan added an additional OYJ standard in the women’s 17/over 1500 Free along with a gold the event.

    Matthew Kryger gained qualification to the Ontario Swimming Championships in the boys 15-yrs 1500 Free while also grabbing gold in the event.

    The Ontario Youth-Junior Championships and the Ontario Swimming Championships are targeted for swimmers ages 13/over and are the highest-tier provincial-level competitions in Ontario for competitive swimmers. Both competitions will be held over the weekend of March 5–8 in Markham and Etobicoke respectively.

    Qualified to attend the Ontario Youth-Junior Championships in Markham are Blake Bishop of Fonthill; Paje Brennan and Madison Kryger of Niagara Falls; Andie Lloyd of St. Catharines; Micah Verrier of Grimsby; and Nicholas Woodruff of Welland.

    Qualified to attend the Ontario Swimming Championships in Etobicoke are Aidan Iapicco, Emmett Mills, and Syrah Mills of St. Catharines; Matthew Kryger of Niagara Falls; and Nathan Tang of Welland.

    The competitive swimmers of Brock Niagara Aquatics include young people from across the Niagara region who train at the Brock University pool and the St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatic Centre.

    Following are the top-8 results from the Western Ontario Regional Championships:

    Boys 10/under

    • Daniel Cui (St. Catharines) GOLD 100 Fly; SILVER 50 Breast; BRONZE 50 Fly; 6th 100 Backstroke; 7th 100 Free; 8th 50 Free

    Girls 10/under

    • Sloan Vitale (Niagara Falls) 4th 100 Breast; 8th 50 Breast

    Girls 11 years

    • Kaylin Jensen (St. Catharines) 5th 200 Fly, 200 Back; 6th 100 Fly; 8th 100 Back
    • Madison Kryger (Niagara Falls) GOLD 50 Back, 200 Fly; SILVER 100 Breast; BRONZE 200 Breast; 4th 50 Breast
    • Olivia Sheldon (Lincoln) SILVER 50 Free; BRONZE 100 Fly; 5th 200 Breast, 200 IM, 100 Free, 50 Fly; 6th 50 Breast
    • Torrin Stefels (St. Catharines) GOLD 100 Fly; BRONZE 50 Fly; 6th 100 Back

    Girls 12 years

    • Peyton Leigh (Niagara-on-the-Lake) SILVER 200 Fly; BRONZE 100 Fly; 6th 400 IM
    • Syrah Mills (St. Catharines) 4th 200 Breast; 7th 50 Breast
    • Sophia St-Pierre (Niagara Falls) 4th 200 Back; 8th 200 Free, 50 Back

    Girls 11–12 years

    • Kryger, P. Leigh, O. Sheldon, S. Mills 6th 200 Free Relay

    Boys 13 years

    • Camren Courchene-Carter (St. Catharines) 5th 100 Breast, 200 Breast; 7th 50 Breast

    Girls 13 years

    • Luz Aguilera Ballesteros (St. Catharines) 6th 100 Back, 200 Back
    • Isra Alsahli (Thorold) BRONZE 100 Free

    Boys 14 years

    • Mahmoud Radwan (St. Catharines) 5th 1500 Free

    Girls 14 years

    • Piper Sarginson (Welland) 4th 400 IM; 5th 400 Free

    Boys 15 years

    • Matthew Kryger (Niagara Falls) GOLD 800 Free, 200 Free; SILVER 400 IM; 4th 50 Back

    Girls 15 years

    • Kura Cooper (St. Catharines) 8th 50 Free

    Boys 16 years

    • Thomas Iapicco (St. Catharines) 7th 400 Free
    • Emmett Mills (St. Catharines) 6th 400 Free; 8th 50 Free, 100 Back
    • Nicholas Woodruff (Welland) SILVER 1500 Free; BRONZE 400 IM; 4th 100 Breast

    Girls 16 years

    • Sydney Alexander (Pelham) BRONZE 200 Fly; 6th 400 Free
    • McKenna Clark (Grimsby) GOLD 400 IM; 4th 200 Free, 50 Free; 7th 50 Back, 100 Back

    Men 17/over

    • Blake Bishop (Pelham) GOLD 200 Back; 4th 400 Free; 5th 100 Back
    • Jeremy Tang (St. Catharines) 6th 400 Free
    • Micah Verrier (Grimsby) SILVER 200 IM; 4th 200 Back; 7th 200 Breast; 8th 100 Breast, 50 Free

    Women 17/over

    Paje Brennan (Niagara Falls) GOLD 1500 Free

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    Categories: Meet Results

  • 28th Annual Awards Banquet 2019

    Brock Niagara Aquatics held its 28th annual awards banquet and dinner on Sunday, October 20, 2019 at Club Roma in St. Catharines. The swimming club’s top achievers of the past 2018–2019 season were honoured.

    Outstanding Swimmer Awards

    Three awards are presented yearly for the top three long course performances in an Olympic event by Brock Niagara Aquatics athletes, based on world performance charts.

    Outstanding Swimmer of the Year Award: The Walker Cup

    • Gökhan Bozyiğit

    Brock Niagara’s top-ranked swim of the year was Gökhan’s 800 Freestyle at the 2019 Ontario Summer Championships in Toronto in June; he won that race for the second year in-a-row and his time was 8:18.59 LC and earned 745 FINA points. Gökhan also earned the Top Age Group award as a 15/over male.

    Second Ranked Swim of the Year (1st Runner-Up): The Dr. Bob McKay Trophy

    • Aidan Iapicco

    The second-ranked swim of the year came from Aidan Iapicco’s 1500 Freestyle at the Ohio Senior Championships in July. He scored 710 FINAL points with a time of 16:16.10 LC and qualified for the Canadian Swimming Trials in the process. This is Aidan’s second year in-a-row winning the club’s second-highest award.

    Third Ranked Swim of the Year (2nd Runner-Up): The Gloria Storm Award

    • Andie Lloyd

    At the Ohio Sr Champs, Andie scored 602 FINA points in the 100 Freestyle with a time of 101.21 LC. The time was fast enough to make Eastern Canadian Champs in the event. She also has Easterns times in 800 Free and 200 IM. Andie also earned the Top 15/over Girls Age Group Award.

    Top Age Group Awards

    Presented to the top male and female swimmer in each of the 10/Under, 11/12, 13/14, 15/over age groups. To be eligible to win, swimmers must be in the age group for an entire season—either short course or long course—and must have swam at least one Provincial time.

    11/12 Girls: The Oliver Gilbert Memorial Trophy

    • Sophia St-Pierre

    Sophia’s top swim of the year was the 50 Free at the Ontario Summer Festival LCM where she scored 415 pts on the FINA world rankings charts.

    13/14 Girls: The Welland-Port Colborne Master Plumbers Association Award

    • Kura Cooper

    Kura’s top swim of the year scored 520 FINA pts in the 50 Free with a time of 29.42 LCM at the Hollandia Spring Invitational in London where she also qualified for the Ontario Youth-Junior Champs in the event.

    15/Over Girls: The Business and Professional Women’s Club of St. Catharines Trophy

    • Andie Lloyd

    See bio above.

    15/Over Boys: The Acres International Award

    • Gökhan Bozyiğit

    See bio above.

    Most Improved Swimmer

    The award is mathematically calculated, based on percentage improvement of five most improved events over the course of the swimming year.

    Most Improved Swimmer (Regional Level): Courtesy Auto Sales Inc. Plaque

    • Taejin Eom

    Taejin has taken-off this year with incredible improvements in his freestyle, backstroke and IM events. He qualified for Regionals in 6 short course events and 5 long course events!

    Most Improved Swimmer (Provincial Level): Shoppers Drug Mart Award

    • Sophia St-Pierre

    Sophia qualified for the Ontario Festival Championship in the 50 Free, 100 Free, and 100 Back; and grabbed Regionals time standards in 12 events.

    Most Improved Swimmer (National/Junior National Level): Royal Canadian Legion Branch 613 Award

    • Peyton Kipp

    Peyton had a top placing of 4th in the 100 Breast at the Ontario Summer Provincials. And he made Eastern Canadian Championship times in the 50, 100, and 200 Breaststroke events.

    Accomplishment Awards

    Awarded to the one swimmer per group who exemplifies dedication, diligence, and a daily positive attitude through the entire season.

    The most improved swimmer award is given to the swimmer in each training group who has shown overall remarkable growth and improvement (in performance, training, effort, attitude) over the course of the year.

    Age Group 1: The HI-TECollision Ltd. Plaque

    • Jade Horner

    Age Group 1 “Most Improved” swimmer

    • Emily Field

    Age Group 2: The HI-TECollision Ltd. Plaque

    • Emma Noël

    Age Group 2 “Most Improved” swimmer

    • Ella Beaudoin

    Youth Group: The Durward Jones Barkwell & Co. Plaque

    • Blake Bishop

    Youth Group “Most Improved” swimmer

    • Sydney Alexander

    Senior Group: The Durward Jones Barkwell & Co. Plaque

    • Jeremy Tang

    Championship Qualifiers

    Canadian Swimming Trials & Canadian Swimming Championships

    • Gökhan Bozyiğit (Trials, CSC)
    • Aidan Iapicco (Trials, CSC)

    Canadian Junior Championships, YOuth Trials & Eastern Canadian Championships

    • Peyton Kipp (Youth Trials, CJC)
    • Andie Lloyd (East)

    Provincials, AA & Festival

    • Piper Sarginson (Fest)
    • Sophia St-Pierre (Fest)
    • Isabella Bonaldo (OYJ)
    • Paje Brennan (OYJ)
    • Kura Cooper (OYJ)
    • Mara Di Persio (OYJ)
    • Alyssa Montgomery (OYJ)
    • Olivia Turavani (OYJ)
    • Nicholas Woodruff (OSC)

    Club Record Breakers

    Aidan Iapicco

    • 15-17 Boys 100 Breaststroke 1:06.71 LCM
    • 15-17 Boys 100 Breaststroke 1:06.89 LCM
    • 15-17 Boys 200 Breaststroke 2:22.58 LCM

    Attendance Awards

    Presented to every swimmer who achieved an attendance record of 90% or better over the course of the entire swimming year.

    Age Group 1

    • Abbi Douglas

    Age Group 2

    • Luz Aguilera Ballesteros, Ella Beaudoin, Camren Courchene-Carter, Tristan Ferencevic, XinFan Gazzola, Kaya Lambrechts, Emma Noël, Sophia St-Pierre, Kayden Shaw, Lily Shennan, Mia Watanabe

    Youth

    • Eve Brum

    Senior

    • Paje Brennan, Aidan Iapicco, Andie Lloyd, Jeremy Tang

    Honour Roll

    Presented to every Brock Niagara Aquatics swimmer who attains a Provincial or National standard while maintaining an 80% or “A” average in school.

    • Paje Brennan, Isabella Bonaldo, Kura Cooper, Mara Di Persio, Peyton Kipp, Andie Lloyd, Alyssa Montgomery, Sophia St-Pierre, Piper Sarginson, Olivia Turavani, Nicholas Woodruff

    Tags:
    Categories: Meet Results

  • Rowan’s Law: concussion safety

    Swimmer registration requirements

    The new Rowan’s Law provincial legislation came into effect on July 1, 2019. All sport organizations must require that athletes under 26 years of age, as well as the parent (for athletes under 18) confirm that they have reviewed the concussion awareness resources provided by the Government of Ontario.

    Clubs must collect confirmation from each swimmer and their parent acknowledging that Rowan’s Law Awareness Resources have been reviewed prior to registering swimmers with Swim Ontario/Swimming Canada.

    The law states that this is an annual requirement.

    Government of Ontario Concussion Awareness Resource

    Athlete and parent must carefully review the age-appropriate concussion resource as found at the Ontario government links provided below. Parents of younger swimmers are encouraged to review the information with their child.

    References

    Categories: Parents