Adam Gomba joins long line of Pickering swimmers on pool shrine
Oct 29, 2008 - 10:48 AM
By Al Rivett
PICKERING -- The Pickering Swim Club (PSC) handed out hardware to deserving athletes at its awards banquet at the Annandale Golf and Curling Club Saturday night.
In addition, the club also added to its 'Wall of Fame' at the Pickering Recreation Complex pool, with one swimmer - Adam Gomba - competing at senior nationals this year.
Gomba received his induction plaque from head coach Lucie Hewitt-Henderson and congratulations from two-time Canadian Olympian and medallist Stephen Clarke, who served as the guest speaker for the evening. He will join numerous other PSC swimmers honoured for competing at the national level, including Olympians Lisa Flood and Laura Nicholls.
Clarke, who started swimming at the COBRA Swim Club of Brampton at age five, noted his fondest memories in swimming weren't winning a bronze at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, in the medley relay with teammates Mark Tewksbury, Jon Cleveland and Marcel Gery, but the camaraderie with the swimmers within his Brampton club.
"One of the greatest things swimming gives back to you is the friends you make," Clarke said, adding that three members of his wedding party where from the COBRA club.
He had plenty of ups and downs during his swimming career, but he urged the swimmers in the audience to not get down on the sport when things don't go their way, he said.
"It's important that you don't let disappointment affect your perception of the sport. You have to remember the good things you're getting out of the sport."
In addition to his bronze medal at Barcelona, Clarke also represented Canada at the 1996 Games in Atlanta where he finished seventh in the 100-metre butterfly. He also won gold in the 100-metre freestyle and silver in the 100-metre butterfly at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, B.C.
Other awards winners at the Pickering Swim Club banquet were:
- Development Team Stroke Awards
Butterfly- Sarah Tan
Backstroke - Danielle Cornacchia
Breaststroke - Shaun Hanycz
Freestyle - Rosie Anderson
Individual medley - Cierra Madore
- Performance awards
Junior provincials: Reanna Corkum, Michael Foster, Carleen Ginter, Kayla Ginter, Emily Goodwin, Rayah Gugliotta, Andrew Kay, Alexandra Lee, Kent Leng, Robert Masters, Emily Meyer, Amy Smith, Hollie Smith.
Junior and Senior provincials: Michelle Spencer
Junior, Senior provincials, Eastern Canadians: Jose Baylon, Caroline Gomba, Jeff Cernele, Ainsley Corkum, Alison Russell
Junior and Senior provincials, Easterns, Age Group Nationals: Meaghan Toswell, Kate Webster
Junior, Senior provincials, Easterns and Olympic trials: Danielle Gomba
Junior, Senior provincials, Easterns, Olympic Taisls and senior nationals: Allison Foster, Adam Gomba.
- Most Improved Athletes
Development 1 - Hayley Ellis
Development 2 - Calista Berry- Stavropoulos
White - Kyle Leng
Junior Blue- Savanah Lashbrook
Junior Red and Senior Red - Jaime Baylon
Senior Blue - Alex Krickovich
- Recognition Award - Jessica-Lynn Ellis
- Most Personal Best Times (White)
Sarah Warren (30 best times)
Kyle Leng (38 best times)
- Grand Tomato Head (most swimmer-of-the-week awards) - Warren Mayer
- Senior Blue Distance Swim
Megan Kastelic
Alex Krickovich
Meredith Warburton
- Super Swimmer Award (most time taken off in the course of a season)
Kent Leng.
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