Swimmers from left to right: Tanvi Pabby, Hannah Simmons, Mary Kate Melnyk, Anina Lund, Nathalie Eid, Caroline Poleway, Alexa Lantin, Lindsay Vrooman, Anya Pabby, Derek Toomey, Jack Collins, Aristedes Speres, Emily McClellan, John Collins.
January 23-25, 2015
Coach John Collins and 13 Badger swimmers traveled to Geneva to compete on the World Stage in one of Europe’s most prestigious long course meets. Swimming against over 600 international competitors, all of the Badger swimmers earned second swims and qualified for finals, and ten swimmers took home a total of 20 medals to win the Overall Medal Count.
The team was lead by Lindsay Vrooman’s four 1st place finishes- most notable was her 400 meter free in a time of 4:11.90. This swim secured her the “Best Performance of the Meet” award- receiving a quality Swiss watch. Vrooman also took home gold in the 200 meter fly, 200 meter free and the 800 meter free. Additionally, she broke two meet records in the 400 and 800 meter freestyle! Emily McClellan swept all three breast stroke events taking three gold medals. Derek Toomey was a double gold medal winner, winning both the 50 and 100 freestyle events. Nathalie Eid added another gold medal to the Badger win column with a tie in the 200 meter backstroke. Badger took home two silver medals with Anina Lund in the 400 meter free and Mary Kate Melnyk in the 200 meter fly. Adding to the Badger medal count were an additional eight bronze medalists including Jack Collins, Nathalie Eid, Caroline Poleway, Anya Paby (age 11) plus Vrooman, Melnyk and Lund.
Badger finished second in overall scoring, to the UK’s Mount Kelly Swimming who brought a full team to this important European Championship. Each year, the CIG concludes with a crowd pleasing Australian Knockout. The 50 sprint knockout consists of four rounds. Each final then starts with the top eight competitors knocking out two swimmers in each round, leaving the top two swimmers left to compete for the title. Three Badger Swimmers won the knockouts in spectacular fashion: Toomey and Vrooman won the 50 free and McClellan the 50 breast.
Badger head coach, John Collins commented on the meet results: “All the people who were suppose to win – won, which is great.”
The meet provided Badger swimmers with the opportunity to swim long course against some of the best swimmers in Europe.
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