2024 Subway AUS Championships – Day 2 Recap
(HALIFAX, NS) The Mounties continued their solid showing at the 2024 AUS Championships in Halifax, NS. On Day 2, Mountie swimmers once again posted a multitude of seasons best times and competed in a grand total of 30 Finals.
Jordan Thomas is still on roll and has tallied up 49 points for the Women's team. Thomas raced to a silver medal in the 200m Breaststroke in a time of 2:34.66. This new lifetime best smashes the previous school record of 2:38.27 set by Olivia Feschuk ('18) in 2018. In addition to her silver medal performance, Jordan also swam under the U SPORTS qualifying time of 2:36.27 making this her second U SPORTS qualifying time of the weekend. Not to be outdone by this milestone swim, Thomas also swam to a bronze medal in the Women's 200m IM.
First-year Allison Gauthier earned her first AUS medal today after swimming to a bronze in the Women's 100m Backstroke. Gauthier swam a lifetime best of 1:05.22 out touching her competition by 0.24 seconds. Allison now has added a total of 29 points to the team.
Lauren Griffin-Lepine continues to be a strong member of the women's team adding 34 points to the board. Griffin-Lepine placed 6th in the Women's 200m IM and 9th in the Women's 400m Freestyle. Other contributors to the women's team include Makayla Churchill (28 pts), Julianne Levesque (27.5 pts), Megan Jones (11 pts), Rachel Chan (7 pts), Kenzie Power (4.5 pts), Jane Gurney (3 pts), Ella Johnson (3 pts), Sophie Kidd (2 pts), Madeleine Cody-Cox (2 pts) and Miki Williston (1 pt).
On the Men's side, Sebastian Cariaga won his first AUS gold medal in the Men's 100m backstroke. Cariaga's 56.49 was a nail biter finish that had everyone on their feet as he beat DAL's Liam Ferguson to the wall by 0.12 seconds. Cariaga's new lifetime best is a new school record to boot. The previous record of 57.30 was set by Geraint Berger ('18) in 2015. Cariaga also placed 8th in the Men's 50m Freestyle.
Several other members of the Men's team stepped up and secured strong showings in finals, with John Roberts securing a 10th place finish in the 200m Breaststroke (7 points). Ryan Duggan churned out a season's best while swimming to a 12th place finish in the 400m freestyle, as did Aaron McDonald, securing a 12th place finish in the 200m IM.
Both the men's and women's 4x200 Freestyle relays finished in 5th place.
The Women's team has crept up to 4th place while the men are currently sitting in 5th place heading into the final day, as competition wraps up.