Feb 24, 2009 - 02:05 PM

PICKERING -- Nine Pickering Swim Club athletes went west to compete against many of the top-ranked swimmers in the country at the recent 2009 Speedo Western Canadian Championships in Edmonton.

And although there was a range of experience among the Pickering swimmers on deck at Edmonton's Kinsmen Sports Centre, they all delivered spectacularly at Western Canadians, which attracted 65 clubs and 564 athletes, including several Canadian Olympians.

Leading the charge was 17-year-old swimmer Adam Gomba, who earned five top-10 finishes along with an outstanding four club records. He previously held the records, but improved upon the times with his efforts in Edmonton.

Swimming in the 17-and-over age group, Gomba finished fourth in the final of the 200-metre backstroke, fifth in the final of the 100m back and was sixth in the 50m back final. He also placed seventh in the 200m freestyle, ninth in the 400m free prelims and 21st in the 100m free prelims.

Gomba notes he was excited at the prospect of racing against swimmers he's never faced in the pool before. It's also his first time competing at the Western Canadians.

"Yeah, it's good to race against people you don't normally race against," he said. "It will change the way the finals end up because it won't be the same people racing."

Gomba set new club standards in the 400m free (4:02.63); 50m back (27.13); 100m back (57.53) and 200m back (2:03.51).

Meanwhile, Jose Baylon, 17, made it to the finals in three events in the 17-and-over division. He finished fourth in the 200m breaststroke final, fourth in the 400m individual medley final and eighth in the final of the 200m I.M. He was also 13th in the 100m breast and 16th in the 50m breast.

He also set a new club record in the 200m breast in 2:22.82, which broke the previous seven-year-old club mark of 2:24.66.

Swimming at the Western Canadians was a big departure for the Pickering club, notes PSC head coach Lucie Hewitt-Henderson, as the club has sent swimmers solely to the Eastern Canadians in previous years.

"We went west rather than east because the facilities are a lot better," said Hewitt-Henderson. "There's two 50-metre pools, so the facilities are much better. And, the biggest reason to go was it's a fly (flight to Edmonton) and that's exciting."

Other PSC results at Western Canadians:

- Ainsley Corkum, 16, (16-and-over division): 400m free prelim (4:34.05- 25th place); 100m back prelim (1:07.05-24th); 200m back prelim (2:21.82-19th place); 800m free (9:29.66- 16th);

- Caroline Gomba, 13, (15-and-under division): 1500m free prelim (17:43.83- 11th); 400m free prelim (4:36.72- 24th); 200m free prelim (2:12.38- 36th); 800m free prelim (9:19.41- 16th);

- Alison Russell, 15, (15-and-under division): 1500m free prelim (17:43.83-31st); 100m free prelim (1:03.17-58th); 800m free prelim (9:35.92-30th)

- Hollie Smith, 14, (15-and-under division): 200m IM prelim (2:33.52-40th); 200m breast (2:47.77- 31st); 100m breast prelim (1:18.79- 28th)

- Michelle Spencer, 16, (16-and-over division): 1500m free prelim (18:03.84-11th place); 200m butterfly (2:27.02- 22nd); 400m IM (5:16.10-26th);

- Meghan Toswell, 14, (15-and-under division): 50m free prelim (28.94- 51st); 100m free prelim (1:00.63- 34th); 400m IM (5:16.14- 20th)

- Katie Webster, 15, (15-and-under division): 1500m free prelim (17:49.34- 13th place); 200m fly prelim (2:31.65- 20th); 200m free prelim (2:11.42- 32nd); 400m IM prelim (5:13.66- 16th).