The Elliot Lake Aquatic Club (ELAC) made a good showing in weekend competition against four other swim clubs at a meet in North Bay.
The North Bay Titans hosted the Regional Championships on the weekend where ELAC club officials said the local swimmers proved their drive and determination during the pandemic definitely paid off.
Clearly in North Bay ELAC swimmers were all eager to fly, back, breast and free into the competition.
The ELAC relay team consisting of Emma Young, Ava Young, Avery Stirling and Kendra Beaulieu showed team unity by earning second and third-place finishes.
Beaulieu also saw a nearly one-minute improvement in her personal best in the 200m Individual Medley event.
Ava Young stood above the competition, finishing in first place in all her events including the difficult 200m breaststroke.
Ethan Young reached a swimmer’s goal in finishing his 50 m freestyle in under 30 seconds. (29.58)
It took a head-to-head swim off by Riley Bower to determine the finals placement in the 50m breaststroke.
Bower reached the wall first, securing her a spot in the "A" final on Saturday night.
He was often out of breath but Declan Workman swam hard and left the pool finishing second in the 100m and 200m breaststroke.
Reilly McGonegal consistently swam hard and remained focused, too, earning a 32-second improvement in the 200m Freestyle.
Alyssa Hebert also shaved time off her previous best times and showed no slowing while the team cheered her on.
Cassie Vienneau used the North Bay competition to hone her skills and gather experience while the 11-year-old's swimming career is being developed.
Andie Young also used this championship to gather competition experience. She earned a first-place finish in the 200m Freestyle event. Following that she took third in the 100m Freestyle.
Brendan Workman also enjoyed the competitive atmosphere, earning many personal bests in his events including a third-place finish as part of the boy's 200m Freestyle relay.
Emma Young proved that stamina is key while swimming many back-to-back events. She earned top spot in her 50m and 200m Backstroke events.
Avery Stirling utilized strength and pride from strong relay finishes to finish many other events in the top five, including a second-place finish in the gruelling 400m Freestyle event.
Philip Olivier, a member of the third-place boy's relay team, earned personal bests in each of his events. Including a 28-second shave in his 100m Backstroke.
The club closed its season hoping the pandemic is permanently in the rearview mirror.
Team officials said the North Bay meet proves that ELAC has the drive, determination and attitude to represent Elliot Lake in the world of competitive swimming.