22 - The Canadjan Champion, Friday, December 12,.2003 SPORT~ trio shines Milton Sprlngers Gymnastica Club members (from left) April Chappeli, Josan Pineau-Levman and Maddy Bannock dlsplay the medals they earned recently durlng the tirai provincial qualifier of the year. Chappeli was golden on bars and earned bronze on vauli, Pineau-Levman was firsi on bars wlih a 9.4 out of 10 performance and Bannock secured a gold and bronze on vault and bars rospec- tlvely. Teammate Brlttany Schrader secured ailver on vauli, whlle Lisu Sotilou came oui of semi-retire- ment and off an lnjury to compete as well. Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Porenta powers way to personal bests Freestyle record swims highlight national campaign By STEVE LeBLANO The Champion Jennifer Porenta's Olympic hopes continue to improve as ber endurance does. Currndnty beneflting from an intensifled train- ing regiment at the University of Toronto, Milton'a 18-year-old swimming ace seemas to have more and more in the proverbial gas tank these days for die laie stages of competition - an encouraging sign as the 2004 Summer Gamnes draw dloser. Her fierce finish was evident laie lait month. ai Quebec's University of Laval, whese she estab- lished personal beats in both the 100mn and 200m freestyle at Use short course Canadian Open. TIhe longer of these two racea appears to be Porenta's best shot for a trip to Athens next sum- mer, especiaily now Usat she's dipped below Use two-minute mark. Wbile Porenta's 1:59.55 performance wasn't quite enough to secure a medal, it does put ber i serious Olympie contention - even after factor- ing i conversion to Use long course pool. "It's (two minutes) a big barrier for me to break," sald Use local swannser, who shed one- and-a-balf seconda off her previous record in Use 200m and placed fourth i Lavai. -They (Canadian Olympie team) can take up to six girls, so my chances are lookig pretty good." One day earlier she sel Use flrst of two individ- ual henchmnarks - clockig in ai 55.69s to cap- ture bronze in Use 100m freestyle. Much like during Use 200mn, Porenta enjoyed a particularly strong finish and was withi striking distance of gold. While remnaining merely a darkhorse con- tender i Use 100m, Use Usree tenths of a second trimmed from. her old standard did improve ber odds - if only slightly. "It's surprising because 1 usuafly die at the end, but this time Most of my energy was at the finih." Recailed Porenta, "It wai probably Use best finish I've ever bad (in Use 1OO0s). It's surprismng because I usuaily die at Use end, but tbis time most of my energy wa i athUe finish. AnoUser 10 mnetres and I would have deflnitely cbailenged for Use gold." Individuai records weren't Use only ones to fill in Laval. Porenta began Use national champi- onships by belping ber Toronto Ail-Stars shatter two Canadian relay marksa - i Use 4x50m fr-eestyle and 4xl100m fr-eestyle. Collective finishes of 1:41.10 and 3:41.79 knocked significant time off Use old standards and left opposing fossrsomnes far behind. The Ail-Stars' Milton representative swamn second in Use shorter distance and first in Use longer one, clocking in ai 25.35s and 56.09s to help fuel Use gold-medal sweep. Ail told, lait monUs's results certainly increase Use likelihood of Use local pool sbark counting herself ainong an elite fratemity of Milton Olympians next summier. "Thigs are lookig good," said Porenta, who begins a witer trainig session wiUs UotT ro Florida later Usis monUs before starting a hectic n to Use July Olympic Trials. "Wis Use longer- distance trainiing Usese days, my endurance bai deflnitely improved." Meanwbile, fellow Miltonian Knisti McIlroy also competed i Laval - higbighting ber national campaign wiUs an 18Us-place effort in Use 200m backstroke (2:19.02) and a 24Us-place sbowing in Use 100mn backstroke (1:05.14). Steve LeBlanc can be reached at sleblanc@haltonsearch.com. A Milton Success Story Celebratlng 25 years of successful and progressive 'nanufacturîng CQv er the past 25 years, Wayne Guard and bis late wlfe EDaine very successfully took FeherGuard Products Ltd. from a smalI "made In the garage" beglnning to an lnternatlonally recognlzed manufacturer In the Pool & Spa Industry. Q),bVayne's commitment to quality products, strong customer service and lntegrlty in the work place have establlshed FeherGuard as a leadlng manufacturer dlstulbutlng to ail parts of Canada, the United States, Europe, Russla and Austraia. The simple desîre to remnove the solar cover frons a pool more easlly prompt- As a proficlent leader, Wayne heads a team of dedlcated employees, eacb ed Uhe conception of the first product. It conslsted of a steel fenoe rail, a playlng a key role In the ongolng success of hîs business. couple of posta and the end of a hockey stick as a handle. FeherGuard Solar Cover Reel Systems have evolved Into 6 model cholces In more than 18 styles, The world has cbanged quite a lot In the last 25 years, but there are thlngs that along wlith other relatecl pool products. remaln strong, true and rellable; FeherCuard's producta, a penchant for quallty and strong leadershlp are Just a few of thens. j r Congra.tuIudons on 25 rewardlng year. From the pmoud staff and frlends of Wayne Guard 1