From Regionals to Trials, NKB Excels - and wins Again the Team Banner

Nepean Kanata Barracudas

From Regionals to Trials, NKB Excels - and wins again the Team Banner
June 15, 2025
 

Over the last weekend and into midweek, NKB swimmers had standout performances. They showed what being Mighty is all about across two Championship competitions, Canadian Trials and the Eastern Ontario LC Regional Championships.

At Regionals: Building the Next Wave

For many swimmers, Regionals marks their first taste of championship-level racing—and what a weekend it was. With a powerful team showing, NKB won the overall meet and lit up the leaderboard with new records and historical placements.

Eleanor Quan, Emma Fairley, Charlotte Navarrete, and Jessica Duford formed the 11–12 Girls 4x100 Free Relay, obliterating the NKB record by six full seconds, posting a new age group club record of 4:20.25.

NKB tracks two essential ranking methods to recognize our swimmers' achievements across generations.

The Top 5 list tracks the fastest swims by age group (10 and Under, 11-12, and 13-14), highlighting the best times ever recorded at each, by gender and event.

The Top 10 All-Time list reflects the fastest overall performances in club history—regardless of age—making it one of the highest benchmarks of excellence at NKB.

A few of our swimmers also made history in these lists:

Top 5 All-Time by Age Group

  • Caleb Ko – 3rd fastest 200 Fly (10 & Under)

  • Sophia Leavit – 5th fastest 200 Breast (10 & Under)

  • Jessica Duford – 4th fastest 1500 Free, 2nd fastest 50 Back, 4th fastest 50 Fly (11–12)

  • Kaden Lee – 4th fastest 50 Back (11–12)

At Canadian Trials: Stepping into the Spotlight

While our younger swimmers rose at Regionals, the Canadian Trials showcased our most experienced athletes rising under pressure.

Ilyes Soltani made his first-ever national final, a huge milestone that signals he's just getting started.

Jordan Schaepper delivered multiple finals appearances and rose to the occasion with a dramatic swim-off victory in the 100 Fly.

Other Barracudas also made waves, securing spots on the radar for upcoming Team Canada and Team Ontario selection events.

In the process, several swimmers punched their names into NKB's Top 10 All-Time list — a legacy of speed and grit across all age groups:

 

Top 10 Club Times (All Ages)

  • Deniz Capraz – 7th (400 Free), 3rd (1500 Free), 4th (800 Free), 8th (400 IM)

  • Lydia James-Brennan – 10th (400 Free), 8th (200 Fly)

  • Jordan Jolly Ssamula – 9th (50 Breast)

  • Ilyes Soltani – 5th (200 Breast)

  • Jordan Schaepper – 2nd (100 Fly), 4th (200 IM), 2nd (400 Free), 2nd (200 Fly)

This week reminded us that NKB's pursuit of excellence is not just a slogan; it is our standard. Whether experiencing the excitement of the spotlight for the first time or enjoying a veteran performance on the national stage, we see that team excellence at NKB is achieved one swimmer, one moment, and one breakthrough at a time.