UPEI host AUS swim meet - Beaton wins Gold

The UPEI Panthers hosted the fourth and final AUS Meet this past weekend at the CARI pool. The top UPEI Panther swimmer over the two day completion was third year, Eric Beaton. He finished 1st in the 50 Freestyle with a personal best time of 23.50. With this he qualified for 2011 CIS Swimming Championships (qualifying time 23.83) being held at the University of Calgary February 24-27, 2011. Five teams from the AUS competed from UNB, DAL, MUN, MTA and UPEI.

Joe Ur the #1 ranked CIS swimmers in this event finished just behind Beaton. This time is a Provincial Record and a UPEI varsity record, He also swam for the first time this year in the 50 M Butterfly and finished 4th with a time of 26.65. In addition he finished 4th – 50 Backstroke 28.87 and in the 100 M Freestyle he had a false start which resulted in a DQ and had him a bit hesitant on the block Sunday before the 50 M.

Head Coach Bill Calhoun had this to say about Beaton's performance, "Eric put together a terrific week of preparation it really showed in the results. He unleashed his early speed beating the competition to the 25m turn and kept his form on the 2nd 25m for the win. He did this time without being shaved or tapered for the meet which other team's coaches commented was quite an accomplishment."

"If he can continue training the way he did this past week, you will see Eric on the podium at the CIS Championship. We have a goal of having Eric in the Final of the 2012 Olympic Trials so this is another step towards that goal, "stated Calhoun.

The UPEI Female swimmers also had a great weekend. "The Panthers are faster, better prepared and more dedicated to swimming compared to last season. The AUS Championships will be a culmination of a terrific year for UPEI Swimming. I am ecstatic with our results in the pool during this meet. Our skills are improving and strategies we have worked on all year are starting to come together. We still have some work to do with our relays but I am confident we will make the necessary adjustment, "said Calhoun.

Meet Results

**UPEI RECORDS

Suzanne Nicholson
6th 200 Butterfly, 12th 400 Freestyle, 22nd 50 Freestyle, 17th 200 Freestyle

Carrie Mills
16th 50 Breaststroke, 19th 50 Butterfly, 28th 50 Freestyle

Marianne Parent
15th 50 Breaststroke, 26th 50 Freestyle

Dianna Loveys
12th 50 Breaststroke, 9th 200 Breaststroke, 11th 100 Breaststroke, 27th 50 Freestyle

Genevieve Cormier
21st 100 Freestyle, 14th 50 Butterfly, 13th 100 Butterfly, 11th 50 Backstroke

Mikhala Brinklow
23rd 100 Freestyle, 18th 50 Butterfly, 24th 50 Freestyle, 19th 200 Freestyle

Cindy McCarron
24th 100 Freestyle, 13th 400 Freestyle, 25th 50 Freestyle

Sydney Abells
**9th 100 Backstroke, 7th 200 Backstroke

UPEI Relay Results

Women 400 Medley Relay
4th Abells, Loveys, Cormier, Nicholson

Source:

UPEI Sports Info