ESWIM Shines at the Ontario Junior International

17 qualifiers. Four days of racing. One clear statement of progress.

The Swim Ontario Junior International at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre proved to be a landmark weekend for Etobicoke Swim Club, with 17 ESWIM swimmers qualifying and delivering a series of confident, high-quality performances on one of the province’s biggest junior stages.

From the opening sessions, ESWIM athletes raced with intent. Heat wins from Elena Wieland and Dennis Nykolyn set the tone early, signalling that the team had arrived prepared, focused, and ready to compete.

As the meet unfolded, the depth of the squad became increasingly evident. Olive Morrison Rogers captured silver in the 50 backstroke with a sharp 27.91, while personal bests followed from Ian Wu (400 IM), Elena Wieland (400 IM), Milania McChesney (400 IM), Alexandra Leno (100 breaststroke), Simon MacLure (100 fly) and Eva Joubert (50 back).

Emerson Tully was particularly impressive, producing a powerful 1:50 swim in the 200 freestyle to cap off an outstanding night of racing.

Finals sessions brought another level of intensity. Under the lights, ESWIM swimmers delivered when it mattered most. Tully opened one finals night with an explosive 50 free before backing it up with a PB in the 100 back.

Mariana Cabezas Garzon was exceptional, winning gold in the 200 butterfly in 2:12.79 - a significant personal best achieved just hours after returning from international duty with Colombia. Mila McChesney followed with a strong season’s best in the same event, while Simon MacLure’s lifetime best of 2:01.58 in the 200 fly left him narrowly outside the podium.

There were more standout moments across the programme:

• Olive Morrison Rogers narrowly missed breaking 60 seconds in the 100 back (60.09), with Eva Joubert also recording a lifetime best

• Charlie Keenes and Diego Lizardi both delivered decisive PBs in the 400 freestyle

• Alexandra Leno added a season’s best in the 200 breaststroke

• Fung Lin Wu brought the house down with an explosive 2:12.14 in the 200 breaststroke, one of the swims of the meet

The final night underlined the consistency of the group. PBs from Emerson Tully and Fung Lin Wu in the 100 freestyle, a major heat-to-final drop from Alexandra Leno in the 50 breaststroke, a hard-earned PB from Dennis Nykolyn in the 200 back, a strong closing 800 free from Mariana Cabezas Garzon, and a bronze-medal performance from Olive Morrison Rogers in the 200 back rounded out a highly successful campaign.

Across four days, the message was clear: this is a team that prepares well, races fearlessly, and continues to grow under pressure.

Looking ahead

The Ontario Junior International marked another important step in ESWIM’s long-term pathway. With momentum building, attention now turns to the next phase of the season - refining skills, converting consistency into medals, and continuing to develop athletes who are confident on big stages.

The performances in Toronto reflected more than results alone; they showcased belief, preparation, and a collective commitment to excellence.

ESWIM is building something special - and the future is moving fast.