Canmore Riptides swimmers took home 27 medals, including seven gold, at the Age Group Challenge in Calgary in mid-December.
Neo Gleason won four individual gold medals and Emiko Osborne won gold in the 50 metre backstroke to power Canmore to a sixth-place overall finish. The Riptides were the top small club (under 49 swimmers) at the meet.
Gleason was also part of two relay gold medals. He was part of the Boys 13 and under 200m freestyle team, which he shared with Alexander Neilson, Riley Toohey and Sean Parker. They stopped the clock in 2:00.99.
Aidan Parker, Sean Parker, Gleason and Toohey also struck gold in the Boys 13 and under 200m medley with a time of 2:18.33.
The team won nine silver medals. Nick Anderson-Young was second in the 400m freestyle, as was Gleason in the 50m back. Rachel Olson won two silver medals in the 200 IM and 400 free, Aidan Parker snagged one in the 400m free and Avery Spence grabbed four with medals in the 200m back, 100 and 200m freestyle and 100m back.
Not to be forgotten, the team also claimed four bronze medals, with third place hardware going to Nick Anderson-Young, Alex Neilson, Rachel Olson (new club record in the 800m freestyle), Osborne, the Parker brothers, Spence and Toohey. Avi Lamb also won bronze as part of the Girls 12 and Under 200m medley with Olson, Spence and Osborne.
