Horwood And Staeben Win AUS Gold

(HALIFAX, NS) Day one of the Subway Atlantic University Sport Swimming Championships was a productive one for the UNB Reds.

Reds swimmers captured six medals, three of them gold, in the first 14 events.

Leah Smal (Fredericton, NB) won the women's 100 metre backstroke, finished 2^nd in the women's 50 metre freestyle and was part of UNB's bronze medal winning team in the women's 400 metre medley relay.

Smal's time of 1:00.94 in the backstroke establishes a new UNB record.

Noah Horwood (Fredericton, NB) won the men's 50 metre breaststroke in a U SPORTS Championship qualifying time of 28.80 seconds.

"I've been so close to a U SPORTS time for two years now," said Horwood. "It's awesome to finally get it and know I'm going to Vancouver."

Reds rookie Erik Staeben (Fredericton, NB) won the men's 100 metre butterfly. That's the same event his father, Brent, won at the Atlantic conference championships in 1986.

"I think it's super cool," said the younger Staeben, of the family's accomplishment. "I had a feeling something like this might happen. I think it's a really awesome coincidence."

UNB's Jennifer Moore (Hamilton, ON) earned bronze in the women's 50 metre freestyle, finishing just behind Smal. Dalhousie's Isabel Sarty set a new AUS record in winning the event.

"I am so happy with it," said Moore, of her third place finish. "It was a best time. I've been working really hard for that."

Moore was also a member of the bronze medal winning relay team, along with Smal, Sienna Coward (Newmarket, ON) and Hannah Casey (Bedford, NS).

After 14 events, UNB sits third in the women's standings, while the Reds are fourth in the men's standings.

Action resumes Saturday, with heats at 10:00am and finals at 6:00pm.

PHOTOS BY: HFX Collective/for Dal Athletics