Irby leads the way in Canada
Nine-year-old Ashley Irby smashed four age-group records when she competed for the Harbour Amateur Swimming Club at a meet in Canada over the weekend.In total seven age-group records were set by local swimmers at the Jack McCormick meet hosted by the Hamilton Aquatic Club on the campus of McMaster University in Ontario.More than 400 swimmers from 20 clubs took part in the competition.Competing in the 10 and under division, Irby snapped up all three records available in breaststroke in the in the 50, 100 and 200 metre distances.She took off over nine seconds in the 200 metres with a time of 3:41.25; over five seconds in the 50 metres in a new time of 0:50.48 and lowered the 100 record by two seconds with a time of 1:47.77.And for good measure she set a new mark in the 200 metres backstroke.Emma Harvey broke the 200 individual medley record by over seven seconds with a time of 3:13.42 and led a sweep by Bermuda swimmers as Madelyn Moore, Irby, Lynsey Palmer and Alyssa Paynter took the first five places.Harvey also won the 50 and 100 butterfly metre events.Moore, competing for the Sharks Swim Club, had a strong swim in the 800m freestyle, establishing a record in 12:29.13 while Vanessa Esposito, representing for Point Claire Swim Club in Montreal, set a record in the 800m freestyle in the 11 and 12 age group in a time of 10:57.43.“The entire team acquitted itself well and produced some excellent swims”, said head coach Richard Goodwin.“This was the first time the bulk of the team had ever competed in a 50 metre, Olympic-size pool and I am proud of the way they all performed.“Their hard work and dedication to the sport has been rewarded with their success at this meet. I also need to thank my assistant coaches Shona Palmer, Janice Irby and Kristina Paynter, as well as the team manager Allison Harvey for their support and assistance on this trip”.Bermuda team10 and under girls Emma Harvey, Ashley Irby, Madelyn Moore, Kerry Palmer, Lynsey Palmer, Alyssa Paynter, Lizzie Thresh11 and 12 girls Sophie Clare, Vanessa Esposito10 and under boys Jude Moseley, Alex Pilgrim11 and 12 boys Sam Daspin, Alexander McCallum, Charlie Pilgrim13 and 14 boys Tyler Irby15 and over boys Dejan Wellman