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.