Swimming

Nanaimo RCMP have reported a man has died on June 7 after going into medical distress while swimming at Westwood Lake. (Black Press Media file photo)

Man dies after going into medical distress while swimming in Vancouver Island lake

Rescue attempt by friends, emergency services successful, but victim died later in Nanaimo hospital

 

Rachel Stanford is recovering from a broken neck after using the rope swing at Gyro Beach in Kelowna. (Contributed/Ben Stanford)

Zipline to stay at Gyro Beach after Kelowna mom breaks her neck

Rachel Stanford was caught on video flipping off the swing and screaming upon resurfacing

 

The annual Cherry Blossom Triathlon was held in Kelowna May 7, 2023. (Brittany Webster/Capital News)

On water, wheels, and feet; Triathletes come to Kelowna for annual Cherry Blossom race

Over 200 people participated in the triathlon

 

(Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

‘I’m hooked’: Vancouver Island woman takes daily cold plunge, says you should too

Gery Lemon says the practice has helped her physically and mentally, and others are joining up

(Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)
The Stingrays’ 12 & under team for the weekend included: back row from left: Lauchlin MacGregor and Angus Preston. Middle row from left: Ayla Graham, Chelsea Ruiter and Waylin MacGregor. Front row from left: Nella Stiwich, Teagan Dunaway, Nina Lempinen and Kieran Dunaway. Missing: Teddy James. (Submitted)

Longstanding team records broken by Duncan swimmers

Lauchlin MacGregor tops 41-year-old club record

The Stingrays’ 12 & under team for the weekend included: back row from left: Lauchlin MacGregor and Angus Preston. Middle row from left: Ayla Graham, Chelsea Ruiter and Waylin MacGregor. Front row from left: Nella Stiwich, Teagan Dunaway, Nina Lempinen and Kieran Dunaway. Missing: Teddy James. (Submitted)
Canada’s Markus Thormeyer (left) huddles with Brent Hayden, Yuri Kisil and Joshua Liendo following a fourth place finish in the men’s 4 x 100m freestyle relay during the Tokyo Olympics on Monday, July 26, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn photo)

B.C. Olympian Markus Thormeyer banned 12 months for doping violation

Sanction stems from unintentionally ingesting a banned agent in his partner’s water bottle last year

Canada’s Markus Thormeyer (left) huddles with Brent Hayden, Yuri Kisil and Joshua Liendo following a fourth place finish in the men’s 4 x 100m freestyle relay during the Tokyo Olympics on Monday, July 26, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn photo)
Canada’s Maggie Mac Neil in action during World Swimming Championships in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Dec. 21, 2021. On Dec. 18, 2022, she set a new world record at the FINA World Swimming Championships. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

Canadian swimmer Maggie Mac Neil sets world record at short course worlds

Mac Neil trimmed over a half-second off the previous record

Canada’s Maggie Mac Neil in action during World Swimming Championships in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Dec. 21, 2021. On Dec. 18, 2022, she set a new world record at the FINA World Swimming Championships. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
Parksville swimmer Nicholas Bennett sets a S14 world record in the 200-metre freestyle at the preliminaries at the 2022 FINA Swimming World Cup in Toronto on Sunday, (Oct. 30). (Swimming Canada/Ian MacNicol photo)

Parksville’s Nicholas Bennett sets new para swimming world record in Toronto

18-year-old shatters 200-metre freestyle standard during preliminaries at World Cup

Parksville swimmer Nicholas Bennett sets a S14 world record in the 200-metre freestyle at the preliminaries at the 2022 FINA Swimming World Cup in Toronto on Sunday, (Oct. 30). (Swimming Canada/Ian MacNicol photo)
Drowning is “not the violent splashing and shouting for help that one sees on TV. There’s no screaming or flailing of arms,” writes reporter Jenna Hauck. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)

COLUMN: Drowning is silent; familiarize yourself with the signs of it

Chilliwack reporter shares what signs of drowning look like after incident with son in pool

Drowning is “not the violent splashing and shouting for help that one sees on TV. There’s no screaming or flailing of arms,” writes reporter Jenna Hauck. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)
Nicholas Bennett of Canada poses after winning the gold medal in the Men’s 200 meters freestyle S14 final during the swimming competition of the Commonwealth Games, at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre in Birmingham, England, Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Vancouver Island swimmer Bennett wins gold medal at 2022 Commonwealth Games

Ravensong Aquatic Club member was ‘ready for the gold’, says dad

Nicholas Bennett of Canada poses after winning the gold medal in the Men’s 200 meters freestyle S14 final during the swimming competition of the Commonwealth Games, at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre in Birmingham, England, Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
Leanne Sirup receives the Albin & Georgina Falt Memorial Coaches’ Recognition Award from Theresa Bodger. Swimmers on hand for the presentation, from left, include: Matthew Ruiter, Waylin MacGregor, Lauchlin MacGregor, Ayla Graham, Wyland Dumont and Kailie MacGregor. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Latest coaching honours one in a long list for Sirup

Community award honours long-time swimmer and athlete

Leanne Sirup receives the Albin & Georgina Falt Memorial Coaches’ Recognition Award from Theresa Bodger. Swimmers on hand for the presentation, from left, include: Matthew Ruiter, Waylin MacGregor, Lauchlin MacGregor, Ayla Graham, Wyland Dumont and Kailie MacGregor. (Photo by Don Bodger)
NIcholas Bennett points to the crowd after finishing second in the 200-metre free S14 and set a new Canadian record at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships in Portugal. (Swimming Canada/Ian MacNicol photo)

Vancouver Island swimmer Bennett wins silver medal in debut at 2022 worlds

Former Ravensong club member shatters own Canadian record

NIcholas Bennett points to the crowd after finishing second in the 200-metre free S14 and set a new Canadian record at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships in Portugal. (Swimming Canada/Ian MacNicol photo)
Parksville swimmer Nicholas Bennett is set to compete at 2022 World Para Swimming Championships in Portugal. (Swimming Canada photo)

Vancouver Island swimmer set to make debut at world championships in Portugal

Ex-Ravensong member Nicholas Bennett confident heading into competition

Parksville swimmer Nicholas Bennett is set to compete at 2022 World Para Swimming Championships in Portugal. (Swimming Canada photo)
Parksville para-swimmer Nicholas Bennett will compete at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in England. (Swimming Canada Facebook photo)

Vancouver Island swimmer to compete at 2022 Commonwealth Games in England

Ravensong Breakers product Nikolas Bennett is one of eight para-swimmers on Canadian team

Parksville para-swimmer Nicholas Bennett will compete at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in England. (Swimming Canada Facebook photo)
Olympic, Paralympic and world champion swimmers competing at the Bell Canadian Swimming Trials in Saanich Commonwealth Place. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)

Swimming Canada trials take over Saanich Commonwealth Place

Swimmers battling for national team spots at upcoming international competitions

Olympic, Paralympic and world champion swimmers competing at the Bell Canadian Swimming Trials in Saanich Commonwealth Place. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)
Edward James of the Duncan Stingrays competes in the 12 and under boys 100m butterfly at the 2022 Vancouver Island Regional Short Course Championships on Jan. 29. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)

Duncan Stingrays set phenomenal pace at Island short course championships

Swim club sets personal bests at 86.4 per cent clip

Edward James of the Duncan Stingrays competes in the 12 and under boys 100m butterfly at the 2022 Vancouver Island Regional Short Course Championships on Jan. 29. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)
As others don pink t-shirts for anti-bullying day (Feb. 23), swimmers across British Columbia – including White Rock Wave members Bill Blair, Debbie Dunn and Cindy Yoc – are wearing pink caps as part of an initiative set up by Swim BC. (Contributed photo)

Sea of pink at B.C. pool a tribute to kindness, compassion during anti-bullying week

Swim BC offered pink swim caps to teams across the province for annual initiative

As others don pink t-shirts for anti-bullying day (Feb. 23), swimmers across British Columbia – including White Rock Wave members Bill Blair, Debbie Dunn and Cindy Yoc – are wearing pink caps as part of an initiative set up by Swim BC. (Contributed photo)
Bill Behse of the Canadian Red Cross checks the contents of an emergency shelter unit at the Regent Park Community Centre in Toronto, on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. The Canadian Red Cross announced earlier this month it was “winding down” its swimming and lifeguard lessons through 2022, marking the end of a program that taught water safety to millions of Canadians over a 75-year stretch. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

Waves of nostalgia for Canadians taught to swim by Red Cross as program winds down

The transition marks the end of a program that taught water safety to millions of Canadians

Bill Behse of the Canadian Red Cross checks the contents of an emergency shelter unit at the Regent Park Community Centre in Toronto, on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. The Canadian Red Cross announced earlier this month it was “winding down” its swimming and lifeguard lessons through 2022, marking the end of a program that taught water safety to millions of Canadians over a 75-year stretch. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov
The Canadian Red Cross announced earlier this month it was ‘winding down’ its swimming and lifeguard lessons through 2022, marking the end of a program that taught water safety to millions of Canadians over a 75-year stretch. (Photo by The Canadian Press)

Waves of nostalgia for Canadians taught to swim by Red Cross as program winds down

2022 will mark end of a program that taught water safety to millions of Canadians over 75 years

The Canadian Red Cross announced earlier this month it was ‘winding down’ its swimming and lifeguard lessons through 2022, marking the end of a program that taught water safety to millions of Canadians over a 75-year stretch. (Photo by The Canadian Press)
Lauchlin MacGregor gets a lift from his Duncan Stingrays teammates at the Richmond FastSwim Classic last month. (Submitted by the Duncan Stingrays)

Nothing ugly about Duncan Stingrays’ pre-Christmas results

Swim team travels to meets in Richmond and Nanaimo

Lauchlin MacGregor gets a lift from his Duncan Stingrays teammates at the Richmond FastSwim Classic last month. (Submitted by the Duncan Stingrays)