POINTE-CLAIRE, Que. – Katrina Bellio of the Etobicoke Swim Club collected her fourth and fifth individual medals on Saturday which included a victory in the women’s senior 400-metre freestyle at the 2022 Speedo Eastern Canadian Swimming Championships.

Bellio, now with two gold, a silver and two bronze individually, dominated the 400 race clocking 4:15.24. She is tuning up for a busy summer that includes the FINA World Championships, the Commonwealth Games and the FINA World Open Water Championships.

She qualified for those three events at the national swimming trials two weeks ago in Victoria.

‘’I was a bit disappointed with the time, but I was just coming off the trials,’’ said Bellio, 17, about her 400. ‘’At this meet I’m here to mostly to help our club win. It’s nice to race with some pressure off and really enjoy the experience.’’

Ella Jansen of Etobicoke (2:14.53) and Megan Wheeler of the Nepean-Kanata Baraccudas also reached the five-medal mark finishing 1-2 ahead of Bellio in the 200 back.

Also with gold in women’s senior were Breckin Gormley of Nepean in the 100-m butterfly (1:01.70)and Maya Holt of Dorval, Que., in the 50 breaststroke (32.67).

In men’s senior, Gabriel Tejada of Ottawa notched a second gold with a win in the 100-m butterfly. He clocked 54.84 with Eric Ginzburg of Toronto’s Ramac club second in 55.93 and Max Malakhovets of Etobicoke third in 57.07.

‘’The first 50 metres felt pretty smooth,’’ said Tejada, the 50 fly winner on Friday. ‘’I was also happy with my kick at the turn. But I was a little tight as a I approached the finish, so, the time could have been better.’’

Other victors in men’s senior were Eric Brown of Pointe-Claire in the 400-m freestyle (3:55.87), Moncef Balamane of Longueuil, Que., in the 50-m breaststroke (29.51) and Michael Levine of Pointe-Claire in the 200-m backstroke (2:09.27).

Winners in women’s youth were Sylvia Statkevicius in the 400 free (4:21.11), Ashlyn Massey of Pointe-Claire in the 100 fly (1:02.30) and  Maya Bezanson of Etobicoke in the 200 back (2:18.73)

Winners in men’s youth were Sebastian Gonzalez Barboza of Montreal in the 400 free (4:05.13), Antoine Destang of Etobicoke in the 100 fly (57.54) and Justin Fontaine of Pointe-Claire in the 200 back (2:11.80).

Pointe-Claire won the men’s 4X100-m medley relay and Nepean took the women’s 4X100 medley relay.

In the team standings, Etobicoke is first overall with 2,263 points followed by Pointe-Claire at 2,004.50 and Nepean at 966. Pointe-Claire is first in the men’s standings.

More than 700 athletes from 110 clubs are here this week at the meet which ends Sunday at the Pointe-Claire Aquatic Centre.

For more information: 2022 Speedo Eastern Championships – Swimming Canada