Newmarket
July 15, 2008 11:22 AM
By: By John Cudmore, Staff Writer
Silver for Swanston at world juniors
Newmarket Stingrays Matthew Swanston raced to a silver medal in the 200-metre backstroke Sunday night to cap the world junior swimming championships in Monterrey, Mexico.
Swanston, 17, finished behind Kurt Bassett, a member of the New Zealand Olympics team, and established himself as the fastest swimmer in the world in his age group at the event.
He also finished sixth in the 100 backstroke.
Meanwhile, Stingrays’ teammate Lindsay Seemann finished fourth in the 200 backstroke and 800 freestyle and fifth in the 100 backstroke.
Stingray head coach Alan Swanston served as head coach of the Canadian team.
Lake Erie crossing nets records for Scognamillo
Jade Scognamillo can be considered a double dipper.
The 14-year-old student at Country Day School in King City set two records Saturday in her crossing of Lake Erie.
Scognamillo became the youngest swimmer to make the crossing, a 19.2-kilometre swim from Sturgeon Point, New York to Crystal Beach, Ontario. Her time of five hours, 40 minutes and 35 seconds, also eclipsed the week-old record of Kingston’s Natalie Lambert who made the crossing in seven hours, 47 minutes and 30 seconds while performing the breaststroke.
“I wasn’t expecting to break the record by so much, so I’m really happy about that,” said Scognamillo.
“I feel relieved it’s over. There was one part in the middle where my muscles were hurting and I thought my arms and legs were going to fall off, but everyone cheering kept me going ... and also that I was doing it for Sick Kids.”
The Caledon resident swam to raise funds for the neonatal unit at the Hospital for Sick Children.
Locke on Wild side in trade to Minnesota
Newmarket resident Corey Locke has a new home.
The 24-year-old former Canadian Hockey League player of the year was traded Friday to the Minnesota Wild by the Montreal Canadiens for defenceman Shawn Belle.
Locke was drafted by the Canadiens in the fourth round in 2003.
A CHL player of the year with the Ottawa 67s, Locke appeared in one game for the Canadiens last season.
Locke, who had 85 goals in four seasons and led the Hamilton Bulldogs to the American Hockey League championship in 2007, began his junior career by playing the 2000-01 season for the Newmarket Hurricanes.