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Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · SATURDAY, JULY 28, 2007 71 SILVER OAK: The Oakville Aquatic Club placed second overall in team competition at last weekend's Canadian Age Group National Swimming Championships in Montreal. OAK second overall at swimming nationals Marni Oldershaw paces club with 10 medals at age group competition By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR B orn into a family with a long history of international paddling success, Marni Oldershaw has always had the genes to potentially become an Olympian. The 12-year-old is quickly building the resume of a future one as well. Oldershaw won 10 medals at last weekend's Canadian Age Group National Swimming Championships in Montreal, leading the Oakville Aquatic Club (OAK) to a second-place overall finish at the event. The daughter of Dean Oldershaw, who competed in kayaking at the 1972 and 1976 Olympic Summer Games, and the granddaughter of three-time Olympian canoeist Bert Oldershaw, Marni collected five gold and three silver in individual competition. She also added a pair of relay golds, winning the 12-and-under girls' 4x50-metre medley and freestyle events with teammates Bridget Jordan, season with the help of coach Alex Emily Hunt and Mika Spencer. Wallingford. "She has that high-performOldershaw sets the bar high for her- ance mindset that you need to have." self, according to OAK head coach Christy While Oldershaw was OAK's leading Yaremczuk. medal-winner at the age group nationals, "This season, her goal was she was not the only one to to achieve some top-10 all- "Swimmers from all make a major medal haul. time Canadian times for 12- the different age Mack Darragh (three year-old girls, in a range of groups contributed gold, four silver) and events," Yaremczuk said. Spencer (three silver, two to the point scores. "She was just off a top-10 bronze and two relay gold) time in the 400m individual That shows the reached the podium in seven medley, and in the 200m depth, but also that, events each, while Cam backstroke she did manage in all coaching levels Cummings -- a gold medalto accomplish that. You're and all age groups, ist in the 200m backstroke talking about (being on a list at last year's nationals -- everyone's doing a with) swimmers like (former earned another gold, a silver Olympian) Joanne Malar. great job." and two bronze. She's always looking at what Yaremczuk was OAK head coach she needs to do next." impressed with the way OAK Yaremczuk said Oldershaw Christy Yaremczuk swimmers responded to has "all the tools" needed to swimming at the Parc Jean continue to develop as an elite swimmer, Drapeau outdoor facility, which hosted including a strong support system from the World Championships in 2005. She her family as well as the club. was also pleased with how the young "She doesn't take anything for grant- competitors, particularly Darragh and ed. When she's training, she's always try- Spencer, were able to perform well in the ing to improve technically," said national championship environment. Yaremczuk, noting that Oldershaw has "When you race in Ontario and you're greatly improved her breaststroke this one of the best kids in Ontario, you're rac- ing against the same people on a regular basis and you get almost comfortable in that racing environment," she said. "It's quite different from racing people from across the country. It was great how (Mack and Mika) were able to stay focused on what their racing goals were." Other OAK swimmers contributing to the club's 30-medal total included Curtis Samuel (silver), Clara Armstrong (silver) and Zack Chetrat (two bronze). OAK finished the four-day meet with 1,486.5 points, behind only the Etobicoke Swim Club (2,410). The second-place showing was OAK's best-ever, following an 11th-place effort last year. The club finished 60th in 2005. "Swimmers from all the different age groups contributed to the point scores, from relays to individual in every age group in male and female. That shows the depth, but also that, in all coaching levels and all age groups, everyone's doing a great job," said Yaremczuk, crediting the club's other coaches -- Laura Nichols, Kathy Pardy, Dave Judd, Melanie MacKay and Wallingford. · See page 72 for OAK results at the age group nationals