Bison rookies dominate in the pool

Bison swimmers Alex Shogolev and Kelsey Wog shine at Canada West championships

Kelsey Wog (middle). Photo by Don Voaklander

This weekend, both the Bison men’s and women’s swimming teams were in Edmonton for the Canada West swimming championships. The Bison women’s team finished in seventh out of eight teams with 188 points and the men also finished in seventh with 135 points.

The Bisons had eight swimmers from both the men’s and women’s swim teams, but it was Alex Shogolev and Kelsey Wog who stole the spotlight this weekend. Wog especially had a stellar performance this past weekend in her Bison debut.

 

Day 1

On the first day of the championships, Wog won the 50-metre breaststroke with a time of 30.54 seconds, setting the championship meet record. Both the men and women’s 4×100-metre relay teams came in sixth on the day.

 

Day 2

Wog brought home even more silverware on the second day of the championship meet. To go along with her 50-metre breaststroke gold medal, she also took the 100-metre breaststroke gold with a time of 1:06.30. She beat the second place swimmer by a full second – a championship meet record. With her two victories in the breaststroke, she earned Canada West first team all-star honours.

Shogolev qualified for the U Sports national championships after he swam 23.14 seconds in the men’s 50-metre freestyle. Shogolev will be joined by second year swimmer Anthony Iliouchetchev, when he reached the standard time with a ninth place finish.

 

Day 3

On day three it was once again Wog ending up on the podium, as she won the 100-metre freestyle and finished second in the 200-metre breaststroke. Shogolev placed second in the 100-metre men’s freestyle. He was named a Canada West second team all-star.

Wog was named the rookie of the meet after winning three gold medals and getting on the Canada West all-star first-team.