(LONDON, ON) -- It was certainly a weekend to remember for the Carleton Ravens swim team. From February 11-13, the Ravens' young core competed against the top university swimmers from across Ontario at the 2016 OUA Championships in London, ON. Following three days of intense competition, a number of personal bests were set and several Carleton men's and women's team records were broken.
It had been ten long years since Carleton last had a swimmer qualify for the CIS Championships, but Thomas Leung (Markham, ON) broke the university 50m freestyle record - originally set by Stepan Oliva in 1988 (23.40) - with a time of 23.11. The new team record qualified Leung to swim at the CIS Championships at the end of February along with the Olympic Trials which will be held the first week of April in Toronto.
Thomas finished the 100 free event in 14th place (51.63) that put him second (behind Stepan Oliva’s 51.30 from 1988) on the all-time list. The first-year swimmer also had a 50 fly (26.53) that put him 3rd on Carleton’s all-time list.
Additionally, Thomas qualified 16th in the men's 50m backstroke. His final time of 27.54 placed him 2nd all-time in the Carleton record book.
Melinda Hubert (Bracebridge, ON) set a Carleton varsity record in the 200 fly (2:21.43) by beating Clara Tarjan’s time of 2:24.35 from 1999. Her 7th place finish was the best finish for a Raven in an OUA race since two swimmers earned 6th place finishes at the OUAs in 2007.
On Friday, Melinda finished 16th overall with a 2:21.61 in the 200m backstroke (a new CU record - originally set in 1993 - that she had broken earlier in the day as well with a time of 2:22.10).
Melinda also finished 17th in both the 200m freestyle and 100m butterfly - both lifetime bests and very close to making the B-finals.
Hubert set personal bests in each of her races this weekend while also setting three Ravens varsity swim records (200 fly, 200 back, 200 free) and is now 2nd on the all-time 100 fly list.
Courtney Buchanan (Belleville, ON) swam the 200 breast event with a time of 2:55.50, placing her 8th on Carleton’s all-time list, along with her 50 free of 28.79.
Mohamad Aly (Cairo, Egypt) put in a strong 50 free (24.69), which left him just behind his 24.53 time from the deBray Division race (24.53 is 11th on the all-time list). Ali also had an impressive 100 free time of 53.85, which was slightly slower than his 53.67 from the deBray Division finals as well (53.67 is 12th on the all-time list).
Mohamad also qualified 16th for the B-final in the men's 50m breaststroke. Aly's final race time of 27.68 was just behind Leung's 27.54, placing him 3rd all-time on Carleton's 50m breaststroke list.