On the 7th and 8th of March, St. Mary’s hosted the annual March Age Group Championships, where 400 swimmers from nearly 20 schools congregated to compete against each other. Some of these schools came from countries all over Asia such as China and the Philippines. The Age Group Championships consists of competitors ranging from 6 years olds to high school seniors. In the competitions, these contestants are divided into four primary age groups, 8 and under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, and 15-18 year old boys. Each age group has their own separate contest where students in that age bracket compete. St. Mary’s had the highest amount of collective winners from all age groups compared to any other school in the tournament!
In the 8 and under age group, Ken (’36) and Kai (’36) both won a place at the podium as 2nd and 3rd place respectively. In the 11-12 age range, Elu (’31) achieved a supreme victory in placing first, while Tsumugu (’32) placed third. In the high school bracket, consisting of 15-18 year olds, Ren (’28) placed third while Nicolas (’28) won the gold medal! The 13-14 cohort was the most impressive however, with all four top spots being taken by St. Mary’s! Dominic (’30) placed as the 4th swimmer in that age group, Daniel (’30) placed 3rd, Hotaka (’31) placed 2nd, and Lyle (’31) was named the best swimmer in the meet for his age!
Over the course of the competition, St. Mary’s swimmers demonstrated remarkable determination and composure, even when pitted against swimmers from all over Asia. Their success in the pool reflected months of preparation and tribulations alongside the unwavering support of their coaches, Mr. Siegel, Mr. Furudera and Mr. Moodie. If you see any of the mentioned students (and the swimming coaches!) across the hallway, congratulate them for their dedication!
