PCS Christmas Cracker Recap

Head Coach Anchie

By Coach Anchie,

We had 10 swimmers from Elite groups participate in a team travel meet in Victoria from December 5-8 for the PCS Christmas Cracker Invitational, which brought together over 600 athletes from 19 teams. The event was structured with preliminaries and finals, utilizing two 8-lane, 25-meter pools running simultaneously during prelims to accommodate the large number of participants.

Our swimmers were at the pool before 8:00 AM and competed until 8:00 PM daily. This meet was not just about competing but also about the valuable experience of travelling as a team. It provided an excellent opportunity for swimmers to build team camaraderie, bond with their teammates, and create lasting memories. They also practiced self-management, time discipline, and staying focused on their goals throughout the long and demanding days.

Despite the long hours, their hard work and determination paid off with outstanding results and achievements over the three intense days of competition. Here are highlights from the meet:

On Friday, the meet kicked off with timed final 50 events, 200 free, and 200 IM, where our swimmers delivered strong performances, achieving multiple personal bests. Ryan Man and Ethan Man qualified for the 50 breast provincials, while Jaden Leung finished 5th in the 200 free final, breaking his own club record for 15-16 boys with a time of 1:57.99. Despite being sick for a week and only just returning, Uma raced hard, achieving a divisional qualifying time in the 200 IM and showcasing her remarkable resilience and commitment.

The 15 & Over boys’ 200 medley relay team (Freddy D, Steven G, Aaron L, Jaden L) displayed great teamwork and secured 6th place out of 16 teams.

Saturday saw outstanding performances with multiple finals appearances. Ethan Man made finals in all his events, winning 1st place in the 100 breast with a personal improvement of over 4 seconds and achieving divisional qualifying times in two other events. Jaden Leung broke the 15-16 boys’ 100 freestyle club record (previously held by Carson Wong since 2019) with a time of 53.38. Uma impressed by making finals in the 200 backstroke and 200 butterfly, achieving a personal best in the 200 backstroke. The boys’ team (Freddy D, Ryan M, Steven G, Jaden L) capped off the day by placing 8th in the 200 free relay.

On the last day, despite fatigue, our swimmers ended the meet on a high note. Ethan Man continued his impressive performance, making finals in all his events and claiming 1st place in 200 breast. Jaden Leung also excelled, reaching finals in all three of his events, securing 3nd place in 50 free, and setting a new club record for the event. Ryan Man, Freddy Ding and Uma Sukkau showcased their determination, racing in the finals and achieving personal best times. Adella Duan and Connor Soong proudly served as alternates for their events, gaining valuable experience and insights into higher-level competition.

The team brought home 4 new club records, 4 new provincial-qualified events, 9 new divisional-qualified events, and 51 personal best times. Way to go, team! Your hard work and determination truly shone through at this meet! 🌟

New Club Records:

15-16 boys 50 free SC: Jaden Leung 24.30

15-16 boys 100 free SC: Jaden Leung 53.38

15-16 boys 200 free SC: Jaden Leung 1:57.99

15-16 boys 400 free SC: Jaden Leung 4:16.76

New Provincial events:

Ethan Man: 50breast

Ryan Man: 50breast

Jaden Leung: 400free, 100fly

New Divisional events:

Ethan Man: 50fly, 100free, 50free, 100breast (13-14), 200breast(13-14)

Uma Sukkau: 200IM