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The Canadian Champion, Friclay, June 19,1998 -23 Dr. Jo-Ann McKinnon 875-1322 I. 998 Hilary lits Jessica 's spirit beams brightly heights i through challenges she fa ces swim finaleBySEELLAl Hilary Wassenicb went out with a bang. Closing out a successtul season, the 10- year-old Milton Marlin turned in three medal-winning performances last week- end at the Central Region C-D Swim Championships in Scarborough. Her star shone brightest in the 10X) metre butterfly in which she bested 19 opponents to capture gold. Strong efforts in the 50m fly and 100m backstroke eamed ber silver and bronze respectively. Wassenicb also finisbed fourtb in botb the 50m and 100mo breaststroke. Age class teammate Jacqueline Clarke's regional campaign was good enougb to be bronzed - after taking that colour medal in botb the 50m fly and 100mo freestyle. The nine-year-old Marlin placed fourtb in the 50m free wile in the 200m free and 50mo breaststroke she came fiftb. Sarab Masciantonio and Jamie Robinson led the way in the 11I and 12-year-old girls division with a gold-medal performance each. The duo specialized in short-distance sprints, witb Masciantonio victorinus in tbe 50m ly and Robinson prevailing in tbe 50m breaststroke. Striking silver in the 200m individual medley was Erynn Mayes, wbo also swam the 200m free to a bronze-medal sbowing. Tara Anderson was the busiesi pre-teen competitor - racing in a bandful of events and cracking the top 10 eacb time - wbile Yvonne Sliekers took third in the 1 00m free. The 11I and I 2-year-old Marlins pooled tbeir efforts 10 win botb the 4x50m freestyle relay and 4x50m medley relay - finishing a full three seconds ahead of their closest challengers in both cases. The lone Milton swimmer, Nick Parris, captured bronze in the 100mo back and placed fourtb in the 50m back and 50m tly. Brenda Lussier, the senior member of the Marlins, amassed six top 10 tinishes witb personal best Limes in five. Photo by GRHtAM PAINE Miltons Jessica Lyans was alil miles ater competing at the llth annual Special Athietes Track Meet in Burlington. She la quite active despite suifer- ing fram a rare bone disease. The Champion Jessica Lyons isn't your prototypical athiete. She's pint-sized, frail and for the most part bound to a wheelchair - attributes hardly associated with somneone in a sports setting. But tben nobody ever said physical prowess was the only prerequisite for becoming a champion, whicb J.M. Denyes' little trooper has accomplished througb desire and determina- tion rather than skill or strength. Over the last few years 10- year-old Jessica bas been just as active as any able-bodied youngster, despite an ongoing struggle witb Osteogenisis Imperfecta. Shes suffered more than 80 fractures, including several in the womb, as a result of this rare bone disease wbicb strikes one in rougbly 250,000 new- boros. -Jessicas been in and out of bospitals ber wbole life and undergone surgery many limes. in order to reduce the number of fractures shes bad metal rods put in ber legs,' explained motber Linda Bain. It's been difficult for our tamily but tbrougb il ail Jessicas aîways bad a smile on ber face." Jessica brougbt Ibat sunny disposition and positive out- look to Burlington's Nelson Stadium Tuesday 10 participate in the I1lth annual Special Athletes Track Meet. Tbis was the third time around for Jessica at the annual sbowcase - wbicb runs in conjunction witb an able-bod- ied athlete track rneet - but it' s far from getting routine or 'Its fun, I've been practicing for this witb my friends Steve Anderson and Sean Wbiteside wbo're also bere," said Jessica, with a confidence found in few cbîldren ber age. Cheered on by fellow stu- dents and instructional assistant Dale Young, she paced berself 10 second place in the 75 metre wheelcbair race and took top bonours in tbe bean bag toss despite baving 10 tbrow with ber left arm. Explained Jessica, "I broke my rigbt arm in April riding my bike at school." Special Athletes Track Meet organizer Deb Wood said i's spirited participants like Jessica wbo've made the event a rous- ing success over the years. The competition started with just a dozen athletes and bas blossomed 10 rougbîy one bun- dred. "11 gives tbese kids a chance 10 compete and make new friends," said Wood. "Everyone's a winner bere." Jessica's love for sports sîretches beyond track and field. She's a longtime member of the Carol Murray Swim Academy and is as involved as possible in gym class at J.M. 1Denyes. 1 Watching hockey with dad ranks among ber favourite pas- imes as welI, especially wben e see JESSICAS on page 25 NEW-USED-REPAIRS-SKATE EXCHANGE 1THOMPSON RA UNIT #6 MILTON «M 9O5-ST -742*