Smal Captures 6th And 7th AUS Medals

UNB's Leah Smal races to victory in the women's 200 metre backstroke, at the 2019 Subway AUS Swimming Championships, in Halifax. Smal captured a total of seven medals, including three gold, on the weekend. (Photo: Trevor MacMillan/for Dal Athletics)
UNB's Leah Smal races to victory in the women's 200 metre backstroke, at the 2019 Subway AUS Swimming Championships, in Halifax. Smal captured a total of seven medals, including three gold, on the weekend. (Photo: Trevor MacMillan/for Dal Athletics)

(HALIFAX, NS) The UNB Reds captured another six medals on the final day of competition at the 2019 Subway Atlantic University Sport Swimming Championships, in Halifax.

The six earned on Sunday bring to 15 the total number won at this year's championships.

"I am so incredibly proud of the efforts of Reds Swimming," said Reds head coach Robin Ferdinand. "They swam with passion and trusted in their training to have some incredible races." 
Leah Smal (Fredericton, NB) captured her third gold medal and seventh of the championships, winning the women's 200 metre backstroke.

Her time of 2:13.75 was almost four seconds faster than the second place finisher.

Smal swept the women's backstroke events this year.

"Leah has an incredible feel for the water, and works extremely hard," said Ferdinand. "She never misses a workout, in or out of the water, and is quietly confident in her ability. She truly enjoys the sport of swimming, which I believe really gives her an edge." 

Hannah Casey (Bedford, NS) took bronze in the women's 200 metre butterfly, finishing in a dead heat with Stephanie Dennis, of Dalhousie. The two touched the wall at the exact same time, 2:26.46.

In the women's 100 metre freestyle, second-year Red Jennifer Moore (Hamilton, ON) captured the bronze medal, finishing 3/10ths of a second ahead of the fourth place swimmer.

And the UNB women captured the silver medal in the 400 metre freestyle relay.

The team of Smal, Casey, Moore and Alexie Sanford (New Maryland, NB) finished behind the Dal Tigers and in front of Acadia.

On the men's side of the competition, Erik Staeben (Fredericton, NB) took the silver medal in the 200 metre butterfly.

Staeben also helped UNB take bronze in the men's 400 metre freestyle relay, along with Noah Horwood (Fredericton, NB), Eric Meng (Fredericton, NB), and Charles Waugh (Fredericton, NB).

The Reds finished an impressive third in both the women's and men's overall standings.

The Dal Tigers captured both the women's and men's AUS titles.

Two Reds, Smal and Horwood, met the qualifying standard for the U SPORTS Championships, Feb. 21-23, at the University of British Columbia.

Smal has been to the national championships previously, but this will be the first trip for Horwood, who missed qualifying last year by a tenth of a second.

"A lesser athlete might've chosen to pack it in, but Noah chose to work hard, work on his weaknesses, and focus on the little things that make a difference in races," said Ferdinand. 

 

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: Trevor MacMillan/for Dal Athletics