Strong performances pave path to championship efforts
The University of Ottawa’s swimming teams were in action this weekend, as they competed in the Eastern Cup at the University of Toronto from Jan. 14-17.
It was a weekend to remember as the Gees put in a valiant effort to finish sixth out of nearly 40 other competing schools and club teams. The Gees recently returned from a two-week training camp in Hawaii, and it looks to have paid off.
Fourth-year biomedical science student Carolyne Godon had a standout performance for the women’s team, as she placed fifth in both the women’s 50m and 100m breaststroke.
The men’s team also dished out solid performances, with swimmers Montana Champagne, Connor Michie, and Robert Bonomo finishing in podium positions for many of their races.
Champagne finished second in the men’s 200m medley and secured top-10 placing in the men’s 200m backstroke and 100m butterfly.
Michie contributed to the team’s success with a silver medal in the 200m backstroke, to complement his fifth-place 100m breaststroke finish.
Robert Bonomo had another excellent meet, as he medalled in three different races. Bonomo had two bronze medal finishes in the men’s 50m and 100m freestyle, as well as an impressive second-place finish in the 50m butterfly.
The Gees are firmly placed on the ‘must-watch list’ for many enthusiasts of the sport, as Bonomo, Michie, Champagne, and Godon had already qualified for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Qualifiers en route to the Ontario University Athletics and CIS Championships.
Two other Gees, Marie-Pier Daigle and Erin Power, have also qualified for the tournament.
