A provincial record that stood for six years has been supplanted by a prolific Okotoks swimmer.
Okotoks Stingray Tanner Potaka, 12, established a new Alberta Summer Swimming Association (ASSA) record in the 400m freestyle with a time of 4:45.25 at Regional’s in Calgary on Aug. 12.
“I’ve been trying to beat it for a while,” said Potaka. “Last year at provincials I was like a 5:08 so I’ve taken off close to 20 seconds since the previous year.”
Potaka, who has held the 25m backstroke record for the nine and 10 age group since 2010, eclipsed Keane Morrow from Ponoka’s record of 4:45.74 established in the summer of 2006. He also tied tied the provincial record of 1:01.03. in the 50m free in Calgary.
He won all four of his events at regionals, the 400m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 50m freestyle and 50m backstroke. First and second place finishes at regionals give swimmers an automatic berth at the ASSA Provincial Championships, starting Aug. 17 at the Kinsmen Centre in Edmonton.
Potaka is looking to accomplish a clean sweep of the provincial records in his four swims at the Edmonton meet.
“In my 50m free I’m looking to beat 27.09 for the record and for the 50m back I need to beat something in the 32s and I’m a 33,” Potaka said. “My goals are just to beat the record and do my best.”
Potaka’s making his sixth appearance at the provincial swim meet and the Stingray mainstay will be joined by several teammates from the Okotoks summer swim club.
“Almost all the swimmers were getting (personal)best times at the meet so they were kind of peaking at the right time,” said Stingrays head coach Geri Ruissen. “Our 12 and under girls did really well, Carla Mitchell and Taylor Strome swam exceptionally…Teghan Inglis swam great she was top-two in all of her races.”
“Teagan Broadley had a really great meet she qualified for provincials, I don’t think she was anticipating that beforehand, but she came second in the 100m freestyle.”
Stingrays Joseph Haworth, Thomias Bruch, Michael Duval, Katelyn Duval, Logan Broadley, Easton Inglis and Kale Legrandeur all qualified with top-two finishes at regionals.
Those who did not earn first or second place finishes at regionals can qualify for provincials as wild cards.
“There’s six regions so the top two swimmers from each region automatically get to attend,” Ruissen said. “After that they pool all the swimmers together and the top four times in the province besides the ones that have qualified also get to go.”
For results from the meet go to www.assa.ca and for more information on the Okotoks Stingrays visit www.okotoksstingrays.com.
