Prince George Barracudas Swim Club members Hannah Esopenko and Julie Wing were among a group of 60 swimmers from Western Canada selected for the three-day Prospects West training camp in Saskatoon.
And after two days of refining their swimming techniques with national team head coach Dave Johnson and provincial team coaches from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Esopenko and Wing got down to business racing for B.C. in a Ti-Meet against Alberta and Saskatchewan-Manitoba.
Esopenko, the 13-year-old Individual medley specialist for Team B.C., finished second in the 400-metre IM in five minutes 16.15 seconds, less than six seconds behind 14-year-old Sarah Darcel of B.C., who won the final. Wing, 14, placed fifth in 5:29.66.
Esopenko also won silver in the 200m backstroke with a time of 2:45.14, less than a second off the winning pace of 14--year-old B.C. team member Renae Ledoux.
In the girls 4X50m medley relay, Esopenko and Wing teamed up with Elena Penner and Mackenzie Padington to finish third.
Esopenko and Wing and B.C. male team swimmers Tai Long Singh and Paul Zou placed fifth in the mixed 4X50m medley relay, and the two Barracudas helped B.C. finish seventh in the girls 4X50m freestyle relay.
Prospects West included 24 swimmers from B.C., 24 from Alberta, six from Saskatchewan and six from Manitoba.
