While Avery Movold (14) captured a silver and bronze medal for Points North and Prince Rupert in February, her Prince Rupert Amateur Swim Club (PRASC) teammate Brandan Hagen (17) was able to qualify for the 2015 Age Group Nationals with a record-breaking swim.
During the Speedo Western Canadian Open, Hagen made the ‘B’ finals in 100 breaststroke and won (placing 11th overall), came in 14th in 200 breaststroke and 17th in 50 breast.
His 200 breast time of 2:31.25 vaulted him into qualification for the 2015 Age Group Nationals in Quebec City from July 29 to Aug. 3.
His three qualifying times needed came from 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke races.
In doing so, Hagen also broke a PRASC record that had been held since 1994 by John Stamhuis in the 200 breast. Hagen must now temporarily recover from almost crippling arthritis, osteochondritis and blood pressure ailments that force him to work extra hard in the pool.
Movold will also be leaving the confines of the North Coast when she departs for the 2015 Canadian Swimming Championships in Pointe-Claire, Quebec from Aug. 6 – 9. She is the first PRASC qualifier since Kurt Grossman in 2005.
Hagen also swam to a 27th-place finish in 400 freestyle and competed with Smithers’ Tanner and Bailey Esperson and Kitimat’s Brander Pacheco on five relay teams. The squad finished 13th in the 200 and 400 medley relays, 16th in the 800 freestyle, 22nd in the 400 free and 24th in the 200 free.
Last weekend, PRASC competed in a regional Smithers meet, but results were unavailable as of press time.