Torpedoes’ swimmers medal at competitions

Matt Charlton, left photo, and Bridget Woolley both won medals at the recent Western Region championships. This season was the first the newly-reformed Tillsonburg Aquatic Torpedoes entered competitions and several swimmers were successful through the season. (Jeff Helsdon Photos)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

The Tillsonburg Aquatic Torpedoes are winding down their first competitive season since reforming with multiple swimmers winning medals.

“Our season has been fantastic,” said Paul Armstrong, head coach.

Highlights of the season include youth swimmers winning at regionals and a masters swimmer winning a medal at nationals.

Matt Charlton won two gold medals at the Western Region championships in the 100 and 200m butterfly. This 14-year-old swimmer came to Tillsonburg from the Aylmer Arrows. Charlton has a family connection to the Torpedoes, with his father, Cameron, and Uncle Brent both being former Torpedo swimmers.

Although the gold medals qualified him to compete in the provincial championships, which are held in early July and again next March, Armstrong and the family decided to aim for next March.

“He’s in Grade 9, so we have lots of time to focus on him while he’s in high school,” Armstrong said. “We decided let’s make that our focus for next year and not worry about this year.”

“It’s a new ballgame when you compete at that level. He’ll be ready, and there’s not a big rush to do that right now.”

Bridget Woolleey also medalled at the Western Region championships, winning bronze in 50m breaststroke. Armstrong explained that provincial championship qualification is based on a time standard, not a finish in the regional competitions. He said Woolley is on the cusp of qualifying.

“Your positioning doesn’t matter, with the exception of making tour or Olympic meets,” he said.

Masters’ swimmer Kathy Sinden won two medals at the Masters Nationals on May 22 to 24 in Windsor, capturing bronze in both the 50m fly and 100m fly.

A Torpedoes swimmer when she was younger, Sinden swam at the University of Toronto, and then came back to the Torpedoes as a masters’ swimmer.

“When the masters have been running in Tillsonburg, she’s been a part of it pretty steadily,” Armstrong said.

Masters is for swimmers aged 18 and over. Competition is broken down into five-year increments. Sinden won her medals in the 55-59 age group, and it was the first time she had competed in more than a decade.

In addition, Armstrong was proud of how the team as a whole did in its inaugural competitive season.

“We have lots of swimmers new to competitive swimming who have come a super long way,” he said. “They’ve made huge strides in the water, and we’re looking forward to seeing what they can do next year.”

Many of the swimmers in the program come from the summer swimming programs in Otterville and Delhi.

The other big news on the Torpedoes' competitive front is the team will be hosting a competitive meet at the Tillsonburg Community Centre for the first time in many years. Dates have been set for Oct. 17 and 18 for the meet.

“We’re hoping to bring some out-of-town folks in and bring some people to the community,” he said.

Matthew Jones of Tillsonburg, who is an unattached swimmer  not with the Torpedoes, also did well at the masters competition. He finished third in the 800m freestyle.